Destiny Turns
by julesmonster
Summary: Harry never made it to Hogwarts at age 11. Five years later, Severus Snape happens to come across Harry in the red light district of Muggle London. Slash HP/SS. Contains mention of MPreg in final chapter...nothing explicit.
1. Chapter 1

**Destiny Turns **

**by Julesmonster**

**Summary:** What if Harry never made it to Hogwarts at age 11? What if five years later, Severus Snape happens to come across Harry in the red light district of Muggle London? (Contains a hint of MPreg in final chapter...nothing explicit. Blink and you'll miss it.)  
><strong>Rating:<strong> Death Sentence - NC-17  
><strong>Categories:<strong> Severus Snape/Harry Potter Multi-Chaptered Fics  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Severus Snape/Harry Potter  
><strong>Genres:<strong> AU (Alternate Universe)  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> Sexual Content, Adult Language, Underage (16), Spoilers through HBP

**A/N****(10/25/11):** This is a story that I wrote a LONG time ago (before the last book was released) and posted on another site. I posted a few of the stories from that site, but this one was not among them. Recently, however, there was a special request for this story, so I have decided to bring it over now.

As a warning, this was written rather early in my fan fiction career, so my style has changed rather drastically since then. The characters are a bit OOC. Then again, this is an AU, so that's par for the course. There are 17 chapters in this story, so sit back and get ready for a long read. I'll post one chapter each day, as usual. I hope you enjoy. Jules

**Chapter****One**

Harry Potter believed in destiny; he believed in fate and all sorts of mystical things. After all, why wouldn't he? He could make things happen with only his mind, not that anyone else believed him. Deep down, he knew that all those things that 'rational' people called nonsense were real. But he also knew that destiny had screwed up somehow where his life was concerned. Why would he have been granted such marvelous gifts if he wasn't meant to use them?

He sometimes dreamt of the life he was supposed to have had. In these dreams, he hadn't run away; instead, a mysterious giant of a man had come and taken him to a world full of magic and wonder. He'd been dreaming of that life—the magical school and all of the people who would have been his friends if destiny hadn't messed up—since he'd been eleven years old. It wasn't always a happy life, but it seemed to have more of a purpose than the one he was currently living; this life was all about survival.

Harry sometimes contemplated ending his pain when things got really bad, but somehow that seemed like the coward's way out. Besides, something inside always stopped him. It was the dreams. There was something about them that compelled him to keep going, to stick around and see if fate could fix what destiny had messed up.

Standing in front of the small mirror in his bathroom, Harry thought about the dream he'd had last night. In it, he'd been obsessing over some redheaded girl named Ginny, the little sister of his best friend Ron. He'd finally gotten up the nerve to kiss her. He supposed that his alternate self was in denial about his sexuality, because he couldn't even imagine kissing a girl without shuddering…well, if she paid enough, he could probably do it. Money was a great motivator.

Shaking off his musings, Harry got dressed in his 'uniform', tight jeans that rode low on his hips and were ripped in just the right places to entice, and a form fitting t-shirt. They were the best clothes that he owned, and he only wore them to work. During the day, he usually got by with things he picked up from scrounging through the drop boxes of a local church charity. He would have felt guilty, but he figured they would have helped him if he'd asked. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the chance that they would ask too many questions.

It was the same with going to a shelter or soup kitchen. If any of the workers suspected that he was only sixteen, he'd end up back in protective services, something he wanted to avoid at all costs. He'd made it for three years now since the last time he'd run away without being caught. He only had to make it another five months and then all he'd have to worry about would be the police.

Harry ran a comb through his hair and took in his image one last time. His hair really was hopeless, sticking up in all the wrong places, but some people seemed to like the look. One guy had told him it made him look like he had just climbed out of bed. His body was a bit on the thin side, but that would happen when you rarely got more than one meal a day, usually nothing more extravagant than a bit of tinned soup heated up in the hot pot he'd smuggled into his hotel room. He did have a rather nice ass, or so he'd been told, but his best feature was his eyes. They were a deep green that reminded Harry of the first leaves of spring, and they could draw men to him in a way that nothing else could.

Other boys he'd met through his work often told him that he could get any man just by looking deep into his eyes. And it was true. What they didn't know, was that Harry could also see into the soul of the other person by looking into their eyes. Not that he could read their minds, but he could read their intentions, their character. It was how he had survived doing such dangerous work for so long. Other boys took a risk every time they took a client home, but not Harry. His cardinal rule was that he would do nothing with a man until he could see his eyes.

Harry turned out the lights and locked his door before heading out to the street. It was still early, but the late winter sun had already set. It would be cold tonight, but he couldn't afford to wear a coat or bulky sweater, not that he owned such a luxury. Customers didn't pick a boy if they couldn't see what they were buying. Harry wished he could stay home tonight and curl up under his threadbare blanket, but he needed the money too bad. His rent was coming due, and he'd have to pull in at least a couple customers a night for the next week if he wasn't going to be thrown out on his ass.

Well, he had a couple of pounds in his pocket. He could always buy a cup of coffee in the all night cafe if he got too cold.

His regular spot was only a block away from the hotel where he lived and it only took a couple of minutes to get there. He greeted a few of the other boys, and then headed to the lamppost where he could best see and be seen by the men who frequented this particular neighborhood. It was his spot, and nobody ever tried to take it from him, which was rather surprising, as competition for prime locations was usually fierce. Harry thought that whatever gifts he had seemed to protect his spot. He'd once seen a pimp tell his boy to take the spot while Harry was warming up in the cafe, but within five minutes, the boy had moved away. He'd told the pimp that there was something wrong with it.

Harry smirked. The only thing wrong with this spot was that it belonged to him.

There weren't very many customers out that night, and Harry resigned himself to a long night of waiting. About an hour after he'd arrived, he was approached by a short fat man, but one look in his eyes told him to avoid being alone with him. When the man moved on to the next boy, Harry gave him a silent signal, and he turned the man down as well. No one would accept a customer that Harry had turned down. About a year after Harry started working this corner, a young boy who went by the name Cary had accepted an offer from a man Harry had declined. He'd been found dead in a nearby alley the next morning. Since then, the others all followed Harry's example. They may not have believed in magic like Harry did, but they were smart enough to realize that he never ended up with a bad customer, never ended up in the hospital because he'd picked the wrong man to trust.

By eight o'clock, Harry was freezing, but he wasn't going to give up yet. He had a feeling in the pit of his gut that he needed to be right where he was. Something big was going to happen tonight.

As soon as he saw the man in the old-fashioned black cloak with the hood covering his face, he knew that this was the man he'd been waiting for.

**HPHPHPHP**

Severus Snape cursed himself for being every kind of fool. What the hell was he doing out on such a cold night in March? He'd learned a long time ago to deal with long stretches of celibacy. After all, he worked in a school full of children and between teaching, working for the Order, and playing the role of loyal Death Easter, he had no time for such foolishness as a relationship. He was more than capable of dealing with his hormonal urges himself. So why was he here?

He'd never been to this particular part of Muggle London before. On those rare occasions when he gave into his need for companionship, he'd always stuck with the brothels in Knockturn Alley. But there was something drawing him to this street on this particular night, and Severus Snape had learned to listen to his instincts. It was one of the reasons he had survived so many years as a spy.

Glancing around at the young men offering themselves for sale, Severus gave an inward shudder. Most of these boys were no older than the students he taught at Hogwarts. They should be at home, doing homework or out with friends, not selling themselves to men twice their age. Of course, they probably didn't have homes, or go to school. These boys all seemed to have dead eyes, eyes that had seen entirely too much heartbreak and evil in their short lives. He did not pity them, however. In fact, he rather admired most of them. They were survivors, a trait that any good Slytherin would respect.

As he walked, he sent out traces of magic to try and discern why he was being drawn to this street. It didn't take long for him to find for what, or rather whom, he was searching. A boy with tousled black hair stood under a street light and drew him in like a moth to the proverbial flame. Ignoring the voice in his head that was reminding him what happened to those unlucky moths that got too close to the fire, he looked the boy over. He was rather short, no more than five feet seven inches, and entirely too skinny for Severus' taste, but there was something extraordinary about the boy's penetrating green eyes.

"Looking for a bit of company?" the boy asked as he approached. There was something vaguely familiar in the way the boy looked, the way he held himself, but Severus was hard pressed to figure out what that was.

"Perhaps," Severus said carefully.

"I'm clean of both drugs and disease," the boy offered in a voice that was all business. "I'll cater to just about any kink, so long as you don't leave any marks. And I insist that you wear a condom."

Snape remembered hearing about condoms from some of the Muggleborn students when they didn't know he was listening. Of course, he'd given the foolish boys detention, but he figured he could remember enough to figure out how to use one.

"How much for the night?"

The boy's eyes widened briefly before getting a calculating look.

"I usually charge twenty pounds for a quickie in the back of a car," he said slowly. "I suppose I could go as low as four hundred for the entire night."

Severus sneered. "Assuming you are any good at all, a 'quickie' would take at least a half hour. Even if you, by some miracle, had a line of customers waiting their turn, that would still only be £320 for eight hours of your time. But since I see no line, I'll offer you 200."

"350"

"250"

"300"

"Deal," Severus agreed. "But you provide the room."

The boy tried not to show his excitement, but Severus could tell that £300 was more money than this boy had probably ever seen at one time in his life.

"I have a room in a hotel around the corner," the boy finally said, and turned to walk away. Severus followed.

**HPHPHPHP**

"It's not much, but it's home," Harry said once they had reached his grubby little room. He'd never been embarrassed about where he lived before, but there was something about this man that made him aware of how miserable his life really was.

He'd broken his cardinal rule and brought this man home without first seeing his eyes, but his gut was telling him that it was the right thing to do. He still wore his cloak, which gave him a bat like appearance, and Harry offered to take it from him. When he finally removed the hood, Harry had to hold back his gasp.

He knew that face. He knew those black eyes and that lanky ebony hair. He should, he'd dreamed abut them often enough over the years.

"Is there something wrong?" the man asked as he held out the cloak.

Harry shook himself and accepted the garment, taking a moment to gather his wits before turning back to the man. "No, I was just wondering what I should call you."

Even before the man spoke, Harry knew the answer. "Severus."

Harry gulped and thought quickly. He couldn't tell this man he had been dreaming about him. About knowing him in some other reality. He'd think Harry had lost his mind and leave. Then Harry would never see the money he so desperately needed.

"That's an unusual name."

"An old family name," Severus shrugged. "And what should I call you?"

"Most people call me Gavin," Harry lied. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want to tell this man his name. "I've never had a customer want an entire night before. Should we just get to it, or would you like to talk first?"

"It has been quite some time for me, so I think I would rather just get to it," Severus said, eyeing Harry curiously. Harry felt more exposed under this man's gaze than he'd ever felt before and was anxious to do something, anything, to move things along.

"The condoms are in the nightstand, along with the lube," he finally said as he began unbuttoning his jeans. A very strong hand stopped him.

"I'd rather do that myself," Sever said huskily as he pulled Harry's hand away.

Before he could object, Severus' lips had met his own and he was drowning in the most perfect kiss he'd ever experienced.

**HPHPHPHP**

The boy was lying to him about his name, he was sure of it, but Severus could not get a good reading from him. He wasn't sure if it was because Gavin was a muggle (he'd never tried using legilimency on a muggle before), or because this boy had some innate magic of which he wasn't aware. The second option seemed to be more likely, if seemingly absurd, since he couldn't imagine why legilimency wouldn't work the same on a muggle as a wizard.

Of course, he couldn't imagine why anyone with any magical abilities would be living as a prostitute in muggle London, either.

Shrugging off his suspicions, Severus kissed the boy and felt the simple action sing through his body. All doubts that Gavin had some latent magical ability fled as he felt their magic connect, lending a fire to their joining that was impossible to ignore. Severus' entire being was consumed by the need to make this boy his.

Slowly, he began to shift the t-shirt up the boy's torso, touching every inch of skin with his skilled hands as he went. He broke the kiss momentarily as he lifted the shirt over Gavin's head, only to capture the lips again as soon as the obstruction was tossed aside. Gliding his fingers over the exposed flesh, Severus wasn't really surprised to find evidence of past abuses in the shape of scars across the boy's back.

Severus moved past the scars and worked his way to the boy's jeans within moments, he had them undone and broke away from the boys lips to push them down and take in the sight before him.

Yes, he was too thin, but there was a wiry beauty in the boy's lean muscles and creamy skin. His eyes were glazed with lust, and shock. Severus realized that the boy must have felt the same pull from their magic, the same sharp burn of arousal it caused. He had probably never experienced anything like it with his other customers, who inevitably would only be concerned with heir own gratification.

Something inside of Severus wanted to make this so good for the boy that he would be spoiled for anyone else. He wanted to lay claim to this child of the streets.

"I want to taste you," Severus murmured and knelt before the boy to worship his cock with his lips and tongue. With the first swipe of Severus' tongue across the already weeping head, the boy gasped in pleasure and…something else. Fear? He pulled away and looked into the boys eyes again, longing to reassure him that there was nothing to fear from him. When the boy nodded once, he turned back to his task with relish. 

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry couldn't believe that this powerful, proud man was kneeling before him, sucking his cock. No one had ever given him pleasure like this before; he'd always been the one to give, the money he received his only reward. Now Severus came along, and turned his whole world upside down. Not just with the way he was worshipping Harry's body, but with his very presence in his world. This man belonged in that dream world that had been Harry's refuge for more than five years.

With the first touch, the first kiss, Harry had felt that there was something different between them. He'd felt like electricity was surging through his body, and he knew that it was all real. The magic, the school, that life he'd never known. But he wasn't sure if he was ready to face the reality of his dreams, so he pushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on the sensations this man was causing.

It didn't take long for Harry to feel his balls tighten with his impending orgasm. He tugged at Severus' shoulders to let him know, but the man continued to suck even harder, until the pleasure washed over him in waves. He had to clutch at the man's shoulders in order to remain upright. Severus continued to milk him of every drop, until the sensation became too much to bear and Harry finally pulled away and sank onto the bed, exhausted.

"Thank you," Harry whispered.

Severus smirked at him and rose to his feet. "You are welcome." Without another word, he began to undress himself. Harry slid up the bed and lay on his side, watching the older man undress. Like him, Severus was a bit too thin, but there was a beauty in the long lines of his pale skin. He was much taller than Harry was, and his hair hung limply around his face. Harry remembered a phrase from his dreams, "greasy git" and cringed inside. His dream self had no idea about true beauty. This man was beautiful, no matter how greasy his hair was.

"I want you inside me," Harry said, eyeing the man's cock as he climbed on the bed beside him.

"Oh, I'm going to fuck you, all right," Severus chuckled. "But first I want you desperate for me. I want you gasping with need, begging for my touch. I want you to be so desperate that you can't do anything more than writhe with it."

With those words, Harry let out a soft moan. Even the man's voice was designed to entice and arouse. And when Severus set about making his wishes a reality, Harry couldn't bring himself to mind. His hands were everywhere, his tongue and teeth explored every inch of Harry's flesh, causing Harry to lose all sense of inhibition.

"Oh god!" Harry whimpered when Severus finally rolled him over and began to kiss his way down his spine. He kissed and laved at each and every vertebra, hands caressing along Harry's ribs as he went. When Severus reached Harry's ass, the young man thought he was going to fly right off the bed. Severus' hands gently parted the cheeks and gained access to Harry's most sensitive opening. His tongue swathed a long line from balls, up the crease, over the puckered hole, all the way to the base of Harry's spine before returning to delve more deeply into Harry.

Harry thought he was going to shake apart; he was trembling with such need. He began to mutter and whimper nonsensically as that talented tongue continued to bore into him relentlessly. In his line of work, he certainly had experience giving such pleasure to others, but just as with the blowjob he had so recently, and expertly, been given, he'd never been on the receiving end before. This was a heaven he'd never dreamed of before.

When Severus finally pulled away, Harry sobbed with his need. "Please!"

Severus chuckled, but did not respond. Instead, he reached over to the bedside table and found the tube of lubricant Harry stored there. After slicking up his fingers, Harry sighed with relief when those fingers took the place of the tongue he'd been missing.

"Oh fuck, yes!" Harry shouted as one talented finger delved deep and glanced across his prostate. "More please!" 

**HPHPHPHP**

Severus knew that this boy was no virgin, but that did not mean that he had any intention of rushing the experience for either of them. There was something so intimate and erotic about preparing a lover manually. The grip of those tight muscles around his fingers, the silken feel of that hot channel, the moans that echoed through the dingy room all served to heighten the experience for the jaded potions master.

By the time he'd worked up to three fingers, Gavin was panting breathlessly with his need, pleading to be fucked, and grinding his renewed erection against the grimy coverlet. Severus was himself harder than he could ever remember being and knew he could hold off no longer. With deliberate care, he removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock as he nudged the boy's hips up for easier entry, teasing the boy's hole for a few long seconds before finally breaching the well-prepared opening.

Despite his profession, the boy was tight and hot, and Severus had to take a minute to calm himself before continuing to thrust ever deeper into the tight heat of the boy. It didn't take long for them both to lose all control. Gavin began to thrust his hips back into Severus, crying out with every stroke to his prostate.

Cries of "Oh fuck," "Shit," and "Harder!" rang through the tiny room as the smell of sex and sweat permeated the air.

As Severus felt his own impending orgasm building, he reached around the boy to grasp firmly his weeping cock and began stroking it in time to every thrust. The headboard rattled against the wall, and Harry arched his back further as he clung to the spindles to keep from slamming into the hard wood with every brutal thrust from Severus.

"Oh fuck! Ohfuckohfuckohfuck!" the boy cried in one long cry rush of emotion just before he came, spending his seed in pearly strings on the coverlet beneath him. Severus felt the contractions of the muscles around his cock, almost painful in their intensity, and with three more urgent thrusts, he too found his release, spending himself completely inside of this world-weary boy.

They both collapsed to the bed, and it was long minutes later before either of them had the energy to move apart. Eventually, Severus knew he had to move off of the boy or crush him, so he carefully slipped his now spent prick from the boy and rolled to his side, gathering the exhausted boy into his arms. He gently caressed his side, calming them both as they caught their breath.

Severus was just about to drift off into a most sated slumber when the boy shot up into a sitting position and stared at him in horror.

**HPHPHPHP**

"You fucker!" Harry shouted. "You didn't use a condom!"

Severus stared blankly at Harry as he scrambled out of the bed and began pacing the small stretch of open floor.

"I'm sorry," Severus said in confusion. "Was it that important?"

Harry goggled at the man in his bed and gave a frustrated huff. "Only if I want to live to see thirty!" Harry paced some more and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

At this, Severus sat up in bed as well and stared at the bit of forehead Harry's action had uncovered. Harry knew what he was seeing. The lightning bolt shaped scar that had been his most distinguishing feature since he'd been found by his aunt and uncle on their doorstep as a baby.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter****Two**

"You said your name was Gavin!" Severus accused the young man standing naked before him. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around what he was seeing. This boy, this prostitute, was not just another lost soul. No, this was Harry Bloody Potter. The Chosen One. The Savior of the Wizarding World. The Boy Who Lived. "You said your name was Gavin," he repeated as he continued to stare at the curse scar that was so distinctive.

"Yeah, well, you said you'd wear a condom," Harry shot back at him. "Guess that makes us both liars."

"What is your name?" Severus asked coldly, but he could not hide the tremor in his voice. When Harry didn't answer right away, he repeated the question, this time with more force.

Harry glared at him for a long time before petulantly replying, "Why? You seem to already know the answer."

"Tell me your name!" the man raged.

"Harry Potter!"

With that pronouncement, Severus collapsed back onto the bed and buried his head in his hands. He looked completely defeated.

"What have I done?" Severus whispered so low that Harry barely heard him.

"You buggered me," Harry said. "And it was the best fuck of my life, so don't go feeling all guilty on me now. I still expect my money."

Severus looked up at the boy before him, arms crossed defensively, as though preparing to fight for his well-earned pounds. Severus could not help it. He laughed. The boy scowled some more, and Severus' laughter took on a hysterical quality.

"You don't understand," Severus finally gasped out. "You don't know who you are, what you mean to the world. You are the bloody Boy Who Lived! And I've just fucked you! Me! The most unworthy bastard alive!"

Harry sat down beside the man who sounded like he was on the verge of hyperventilating. "You aren't so bad." Harry soothed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Severus' ear. "In fact, you seem like a pretty decent bloke all around. Gave me the best lay of my well-experienced life. Can't be all bad after that."

"Don't you get it?" Severus whispered as he looked into those frighteningly green eyes. "We've been looking for you for more than five years! You are the one who is supposed to save our world. You are the symbol of all things Good and Light! And I've sullied you!"

Harry laughed outright at this. "Sullied me? Good lord! You make me sound like the heroine of some gothic romance novel! You do realize what I do for a living, right? I haven't been a virgin since I was ten years old. I don't think you have the power to take what has been gone for so long."

"I have to take you to Dumbledore," Severus said suddenly and began searching for his discarded clothes.

"It's the middle of the night," Harry reminded him. "Whoever this person is would most likely prefer this wait until morning. And to be perfectly frank with you, so would I."

"You'll go with me?" Severus asked, "No questions asked? You'll simply agree to go and meet with Dumbledore?"

"I have a feeling that I already know on some level what this meeting is all about," Harry said carefully. "Besides, I trust you. Even if you didn't use a condom. Now will you go back to bed with me? I was hoping we could sleep for a while, and then maybe you might want to bugger me again when we wake up. You really are an incredible fuck. Take it from one who knows."

Severus stared hard at the boy in front of him as he slowly climbed back into the bed. What should he do? The damage was already done. What was one night, one more fuck, going to hurt in the long run? Decision made, Severus lay down beside Harry and accepted the boy into his arms. As unbelievable as the entire situation was, it wasn't long before both men were sleeping soundly.

**HPHPHPHP**

"Pack everything," Severus instructed the next morning after shagging once more in the bed and once in the cramped shower stall. They were both well and truly sated, but they were much later leaving than they had planned. "I doubt you will ever see this place again."

Harry smiled at this thought. Never to have to come back to this place, this life, was a gift. There was nothing here for him. It felt like Fate had finally caught up to him, and it was a good feeling.

It didn't take long for Harry to pack. Everything he owned fit into a small satchel: his toothbrush, a couple changes of clothes and a book he'd pilfered from the local library when he was eleven about Merlin and King Arthur. He'd known as soon as he'd read that book for the first time that his dreams had to be real. Magic had to be real. And now, it seemed he would finally be able to join that magical world about which he'd dreamed.

Harry hadn't said anything about his dreams to Severus. He wasn't sure that even a wizard would understand. After all, that dream reality wasn't any more real to Severus than it was to the average person. It felt real to Harry, because he'd been living in that world, through his dreams, for over five years now. But how could he explain that to someone who hadn't seen the same things? Besides, in that dream world, the people may be the same, but nothing else was. In that dream world, he'd been a wizard, fighting evil, since he was eleven.

Harry shook his head. No, best to keep this to himself.

"I'm ready," Harry said as he closed the clasp on his satchel.

Severus nodded and extended his arm. "Take my arm. We will be apparating to Hogwarts. That is the school I work at in Scotland. Just close your eyes and when I tell you to, you can open them again and we will be there."

Harry knew he was supposed to look surprised or skeptical, or something, but he just couldn't muster anything but excitement. He knew what apparating was, just as he knew what Hogwarts was, and who Dumbledore was. Just as he'd known Severus the first time he saw his face.

Harry obediently closed his eyes and held tightly to the wizard's arm. He felt a whoosh of air, and then it was as if his body was being forced through a hole half his size. The tightness only lasted a second, however, and then was gone.

"You may open your eyes now," Severus said. Harry did so and gasped at the sight before him. They were standing at the gates of Hogwarts, the majestic castle gleaming in the high March sun. It was even more magnificent than in his dreams.

"Bloody hell!" Harry whispered.

"Indeed," Severus chuckled. "Come along. I was due back hours ago, and I'm sure the headmaster will be worried by now."

Severus led Harry up the long gravel drive and through the familiar castle corridors to the headmaster's office. There was the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's rooms. Severus gave the password, Bertie Bott's Beans, and the moving stairs appeared to take them up to the door. Everything was exactly as it had been in his dreams.

Dumbledore didn't wait for them to knock. His door simply opened at their approach and Severus led Harry into the room. Dumbledore was seated at the great desk in the center of the circular tower, but did not look up from the papers he was working on until they stood directly before him.

"I expected you back early this morning, Severus," the headmaster scolded.

"I apologize, Albus, but something rather important came up," Severus said calmly.

"I see," Dumbledore smiled as his eyes took in Harry. "Who, may I ask, is your visitor?"

"Albus, I'd like to introduce you to… Harry Potter."

Harry knew that it took a lot to shake the eccentric headmaster, but this seemed to be one of those rare occasions. Sitting heavily back into his seat, it took a moment for the older man to regain his composure.

"Please, have a seat," Dumbledore finally said, the familiar twinkle returning to his clear blue eyes. "How did this come about?"

"I was in London and…"Severus seemed at a loss as to where to go from there. Harry could tell he was reluctant to tell the headmaster how they had met, but Harry had long ago given up being ashamed of anything. He had learned that pride was something that he could not afford. Not and survive.

"I tried to proposition him," Harry filled in, relieving Severus of the task. "I've been working the streets for the last few years, and he looked like he had a bit of money. Anyway, when he saw my scar, he said I had to come see you."

Severus looked grateful that Harry had left out a few of the more intimate details of their meeting. Harry realized that Severus was reluctant for his employer to know that he had not only solicited a prostitute, but one that was of similar age to the boys he taught on a daily basis.

Dumbledore looked confused. "You propositioned him?"

"Yes, that's what I do. I'm a prostitute," Harry said bluntly. "I ran away from my family when I was nine years old. I spent some time in and out of foster care. But for the last three years, I've been on my own. It pays the rent and it is better than being stuck with any of the sadists in the so called protective services."

Harry had the dubious pleasure of shocking the headmaster twice in one night. "I- I'm so sorry, my boy."

Harry gave the old wizard a hard look, and then deliberately shrugged. "Don't be. Life's a bitch, but I've survived."

Severus cleared his throat. "Obviously, we cannot allow Mr. Potter to return to that life. He was totally unprotected."

"Right you are," Dumbledore said, finally getting a firm grasp on his emotions. "We are very lucky that you found him and recognized him before those of a less… scrupulous nature could do so. He'll need to be protected and trained. He can receive both things here at Hogwarts."

"Why?" Harry asked. When both men looked at him like he was daft, he continued, "I mean, I've been able to protect myself for this long, why should I just give up my entire life to come here? Why would these unscrupulous men want to hurt me? What _aren__'__t_you telling me?"

Severus knew that Harry had willingly left his life behind, but the headmaster did not, and the Potions Master wasn't about to say anything. Truth be told, he was rather enjoying watching Harry manipulate the old man. It wasn't often that the master manipulator was outmaneuvered. And Severus had no doubt that Harry was doing exactly that. The question was why?

Harry had given small hints that there was something that he wasn't telling him, but Severus had yet to figure out what that could be and he was eager to see where this was heading. Besides, it was only fair that Dumbledore should be forced to tell the boy what he was facing by choosing this world over the one he already knew. There may have been risks in that life, but at least the boy already knew what they were and was prepared to face them. He should have the option to make a well-informed choice, but the only way that Dumbledore ever shared information was when his hand was forced.

So Severus sat back and watched the game play out and did not interfere.

Meanwhile, Harry and Dumbledore were having a staring contest. Or at least that is how it seemed. Neither was prepared to give way, but eventually, somebody had to. This time it was Dumbledore. The wizarding world needed Harry Potter much more than Harry Potter needed it. And it appeared the boy knew it.

"You are a very special wizard, Harry," Dumbledore finally said. Severus studied the boy's reactions as Dumbledore explained about magic and the school. He went on to tell the boy about Voldemort and the prophecy. Throughout the entire monologue, Severus watched Harry. And throughout the entire monologue, Harry's mask of indifference and power remained unchanged. There was no surprise or anger or fear. In fact, now that he thought about it, the boy hadn't been at all surprised about anything that had happened since Severus met him (discounting the lack of a condom on Snape's part, but he wasn't going to think about that right now). Why wasn't this more shocking for the boy? Either he was really very good at masking his emotions, or he knew more than he was letting on. Or both.

"So this Voldemort guy wants to kill me because some woman said I would have the power to kill him," Harry summed up. "But when he tried to do the job when I was a baby, he failed, right? Sounds like a rather unexceptional wizard to me. But you think you need me to get rid of him for you." Harry looked for and received confirmation from the headmaster. "Okay, then. What's in it for me?"

Severus bit back a smile, barely, when the boy gave him an impertinent wink at this. He rather admired the boy's bollocks. No one who knew Dumbledore ever challenged him directly like this. It warmed Severus' Slytherin heart.

Dumbledore frowned for a moment. Obviously, he had never anticipated that the Boy Who Lived might not volunteer to put his life in jeopardy out of the generosity of his heart. "A chance to learn about your heritage? To learn magic?"

Harry smirked at this, and Severus knew they were about to learn something from the boy, something important. "I can already do magic without your school." With that pronouncement, he gestured towards a large cabinet to the right of the room and it began to float, and then dance, across the room. "I've learned a bit of magic without your assistance, so I'll ask again. What's in it for me?"

Snape actually smiled before stepping in and saving the headmaster from himself. He was a Gryffindor; there was no way that he could ever understand the mind of a survivalist like this boy. It was too Slytherin a trait. Besides, he had the advantage of knowing that the boy really did not want to return to the life he'd been living.

"Money," Severus said, and both Dumbledore and Harry stared at him. "Oh, we will not be paying you, but by returning to this world, we can show you how to collect what is already rightfully yours. Your parents were rather wealthy and left you quite a legacy. Beyond that, with proper training you would be able to secure a real job, one that did not require you to sell your body on a nightly basis. Then there is always the power and fame that comes from having the name Harry Potter."

Harry frowned for a moment before a wide grin spread across his face. "I'm not interested in the fame, but the money sounds good. And you think you can teach me more than I already know?"

"There is always room to learn," Dumbledore finally said.

"With training, I would guess that you could become one of, if not _the_most powerful wizard alive," Severus said silkily.

Harry looked at him for a moment, and then turned to Dumbledore, "Okay, I'll stay. But I won't be a regular student. I haven't attended school since third forms and I doubt I'd be comfortable starting now."

"What about an apprenticeship, Albus?" Severus suggested. "It would allow him to stay at the school without being a traditional student, and he could be trained during free periods and evenings."

"And you would be willing to take him on?" Dumbledore asked with surprise. Severus had never taken on an apprentice before. He had always insisted that they were more trouble than they were worth.

Severus nodded, "I will take him on."

Harry had been following the conversation closely. Every bit of knowledge he had gleaned from his dreams told him that Snape was a complete and utter bastard who hated Harry Potter with a passion. But this was not his dream world, and obviously, the other Harry had missed something important about the Potions Master.

"What will you teach me, then?"

Severus looked at the boy closely. He already knew the answer to the question. Severus could see it in his eyes, even without Legilimency.

"I have mastery in three subjects, so you would be learning all three from me, as my apprentice," Severus said. "Potions, Defense and Legilimency. You will also be expected to learn Charms and Transfiguration. Perhaps Arithmancy as well, Albus?"

"Of course," Dumbledore smiled. "It would be a most useful subject as we prepare for what is to come. Will he have the apprentice rooms off of your quarters then? Or should I have other rooms prepared?"

Severus sighed and waved his hand dramatically. "He'll be fine with me."

If Harry hadn't seen the man climaxing inside of him so recently, he might have bought the complete disinterest that the spy portrayed. Luckily, Dumbledore did buy it.

"Good, I'll have the house elves clean them up." Dumbledore smiled. "When you had not returned on time this morning, I took the liberty of securing a substitute for your classes for the day, leaving you free to help this young man get settled. You will more than likely want to spend some time testing Harry's abilities, and I'm sure he could use a few things from Diagon Alley."

Shopping. Severus groaned inwardly, but noticed the excitement in Harry's eyes. He knew about Diagon Alley as well. He would definitely need to investigate this further.

"If there is nothing else, Albus?" Severus said. "I would like to get started as quickly as possible."

"Go ahead, my boy. I'll set up sessions with the other professors and get a schedule to you by dinner tonight."

Harry and Severus both nodded and stood to leave.

**HPHPHPHP**

"These will be your rooms for the duration of your apprenticeship," Severus said as he showed Harry the large bedroom with sitting area and bathroom that led off of his private office. It was a comfortable, well-appointed room, even if it was in the dungeons. Harry thought he could be comfortable here.

"Will I actually be sleeping here?" Harry asked with a bit of a smirk. He did not want to give up the physical pleasure that this man had so recently given him.

"I…" Severus seemed to be at a loss for words.

"I'm not your student," Harry said reasonably. "Nor am I an innocent."

"You are my apprentice," Severus said, shaking his head. "And underage. I should have never…"

"But you did," Harry said. "And you still want me. I still want you, too." Harry stood very close to the older man and allowed his body to talk for him for long seconds. "I think that's why you volunteered to keep me here."

Severus looked away from Harry, but did not push him away, nor did he deny the charge. Harry took that as a good sign.

"No one else will know," Harry said as he reached up and ran his fingers through Severus' hair. It was silky and fine. Stretching up on his toes, Harry brushed his lips along the taller man's neck and behind his ear. "We could be together every night. I can make you feel so good."

Severus shivered at the combination of words and sensation. This could be a very bad thing, but he just couldn't seem to deny his body the pleasure of the boy's attention.

"No one can know," Severus finally sighed just before he caught the boy's lips in a scorching kiss. Something about Harry Potter seemed to destroy all of Severus' good sense. In seconds, they were both aroused and panting with need. Severus guided the younger man to the bed and pushed him back, then followed him down, covering his body with his own.

Harry grasped the other man's hips and guided him as he ground their aching cocks together. Severus let out a moan, but Harry's eager mouth caught it and swallowed it down. It didn't take long for either of them to lose complete control. With a wave of his free hand, Harry had them both completely undressed and gasping at the feel of flesh on flesh.

"Fuck me, Severus," Harry moaned. Severus didn't even think about what he was doing when Harry handed him a tube of lubricant. His mind had gone some place else entirely and his body was on autopilot. He uncapped the tube and within moments had the boy prepared and was sliding home. A few quick thrusts, a few strokes to the cock between them, and they were both coming as if it had been weeks since their last shag, not hours.

Later, after they had both come back down to earth and were lying sated on the now messy bed, Severus turned to the boy in his arms, "How do you do that to me? I haven't been this out of control since I was…well, your age."

Harry just chuckled and snuggled closer to the man in his new bed.

"When you came up to me on the street last night, without ever even seeing your face, I knew that there was something about you," Harry told him. "I knew that whatever happened, my life would change forever from that meeting. And it has. Do you think you are the only one who has been overwhelmed by whatever it is that's happening between us? I've never lost control as I do with you. I could never afford to; it was too dangerous."

"Hmm," Severus grunted. "We need to talk, you know."

Harry leaned up on one elbow and looked down at his lover. "Should I get dressed for this discussion?"

"I think that would be a good idea," Severus sighed and sat up. Once they were both dressed, Severus led Harry into his sitting room and ordered tea from a house elf who appeared. When they were both settled with a cup, Severus turned to Harry and studied him for a long time.

"Are you going to tell me how you know so much about the wizarding world, or do I have to guess?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter****Three**

"You know more than you are letting on," Severus said when Harry just looked at him in shock. "I can understand that you do not trust us. You have no reason to trust us, really. But I am asking you to trust _me_. Even with the sheer amount of innate power that you possess, you should not be able to do the levels of wandless magic that you display. You have done a good job of covering up your knowledge for the most part but, so far, nothing we have told you has surprised you in the least. You already knew everything that Dumbledore and I have told you today, didn't you?"

Harry looked at Severus and then looked at his half-empty teacup. It was not easy to trust. Not when everyone in his life up to this moment had either hurt him or let him down. But there was something about this man, and it wasn't just the sex.

"How much will you tell Dumbledore of what I tell you?"

"Only what he needs to know."

Harry nodded. That sounded like the man Harry knew from his dreams. Very Slytherin.

"I've been dreaming about this world since I was eleven years old," Harry began. "I dreamt of the life I would have had if I had come here like I was supposed to have done. At first, I thought it was all just a dream, but then I began noticing I could actually do some of the things my dream self could. I could do magic.

"So I started practicing some of the things my dream self was learning. That Harry had a wand, but he wasn't nearly as focused as I am. I figured out pretty quickly how to do most things without a wand." Harry paused for a moment.

"For five and a half years I've been watching that life. I know everything that Harry knows, for the most part. But that reality isn't the same as this one. Not really. Things changed in this world when I didn't come to Hogwarts. For instance, in that world, you despise me because of the things my father did to you in school. You think I'm a lazy idiot, concerned only about my fame and myself. In that world, you never found out about how fucked up my childhood was."

"So you knew about the Dark Lord?" Severus asked after taking in what Harry was saying and setting it aside to examine later.

"More than I ever wanted to," Harry said darkly. "In that world, I've faced him every year since coming to Hogwarts except one. I watched him kill an innocent boy in front of my eyes. I watched as Bellatrix Lestrange killed my godfather."

"Black died in that world?" Severus seemed very interested in this bit of news, almost jealous.

"Is he alive here?" Harry asked; he was rather interested in meeting his godfather.

"Yes," Severus sneered. "Unfortunately, after the Dark Lord returned four years ago, it became obvious that he was innocent when Peter Pettigrew showed up at the Dark Lord's side. I had no choice but to tell Dumbledore."

"I'll bet that had to hurt," Harry chuckled. "You hate him more than you hated my father."

"Indeed," Severus agreed. "We were able to capture Pettigrew not long after that, and your godfather was free to return to his werewolf lover."

Harry laughed at that. "I knew it! I knew they were lovers! My other self is a bit naïve; he never saw the signs, but I did. So, Sirius is free?"

"I will have the headmaster arrange a meeting if you wish it," Severus said, making it very clear that he would have no other part of that reunion.

"I think I would like that," Harry smiled.

"Satisfy my curiosity," Severus said. "In that other world, what house did you end up in?"

Harry smirked at the head of Slytherin. "That Harry almost ended up in Slytherin, but asked not to go there."

"Gryffindor," Severus grunted.

"Exactly," Harry said. "I'm convinced, though, that if I was sorted, I'd end up in Slytherin. I'm not really that same child who came to Hogwarts in that world. He had a bad childhood, but he never faced the wider world as I have. He knew abuse and neglect, but only from one source. He still retained the ability to hope for something better."

"I have no doubt that you would be in Slytherin after that display in the headmaster's office this morning," Severus snorted. "I have never seen anyone manipulate the old man with such mastery."

Harry grinned. "Thank you. A little bit of inside knowledge can be rather helpful."

"Alright," Severus said. "So you have been learning wandless magic for five and a half years. What do you know so far?"

"That Harry is rather one sided in his learning," Harry said. "He tends to focus only on defensive magic, so he's very good at that. I, however, have paid attention to other aspects of his education. I'm rather good with Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense. I know a bit about Potions, although I've no real practical experience. I am much better at Divination than he is, and I've learned a bit of Legilimency and Occlumency as well."

"And how did you manage to pick up that particular skill?" Severus asked.

"You," Harry smirked. "Dumbledore made the other Severus give that Harry lessons to block Voldemort from his mind. He was a complete prat and couldn't do a damned thing, but I paid attention. I was already doing a bit of Legilimency before that, without really understanding it. That's how I always knew which customers to avoid; I could see their intentions in their eyes. After watching your lessons with that Harry, I got much better at it."

"I see," Severus said quietly. Without warning, he cast a silent Legilimens on the boy. What he found was an impenetrable brick wall around the boy's mind.

Harry grinned, recognizing the attempted intrusion. "I can also throw off the Imperius and Cruciatus. At least in theory."

"We will need to test these skills," Severus told him. "That will be the first part of your training in the coming days. What about other education. You said you haven't been in school since third form."

"I've spent a great deal of time in the libraries," Harry shrugged. "It's warm there in the winter and cool in the summer and they don't throw you out. Most of my education has come from the books I've read."

"I see," Severus said. "Well, I think that Dumbledore will need to know your abilities, but not necessarily how you came by them. I am afraid that he would get caught up in trying to use the information from that world to his own advantage and forget that we need to prepare you for the upcoming battle in this world."

"I would prefer that you didn't tell him about the Divination stuff," Harry said. He knew that the potions master didn't put much store in the divinatory arts, but the headmaster did.

"Not an issue," Severus said. "Now, shall we order in lunch? We still need to go to Diagon Alley today. And I would suggest a trip to Madam Pomfrey after dinner tonight." 

**HPHPHPHP**

"You said I had money, that my parents were wealthy, but this?" Harry said breathlessly as they left Gringotts that afternoon, still clutching the parchment the goblin had given Harry with an accounting of all of his vaults. "I don't think the other Harry has any idea how much he's worth. All he's ever seen is the one vault Hagrid showed him when he was eleven."

"And that one vault is all you will have access to until you come of age this summer," Severus reminded him. "It was set up to see you through school, and to take care of your needs until you were old enough to take responsibility for your finances."

"Yeah, but there's enough gold in that vault for seven years of school, plus incidental expenses," Harry countered. "And I've only got five months before I get access to the rest. Do you realize what this means?"

Snape stopped his long strides and looked at Harry.

"Indeed. The question is, do you?"

"I'll never have to work the streets again," Harry smiled. "Hell, I never have to work at all again if I don't want."

"But you will work," Severus told him. "Until Voldemort is dead, you have made an agreement to train and do what is necessary to bring about that end."

"I know," Harry said. "And I'll keep my end of the bargain. Don't worry about that. Now I know I'll have something AFTER that. Something worth sticking around for."

Severus gave him another dark look. "Did you imagine that there would not be something worth surviving for?"

"Actually, I hadn't given it much thought," Harry shrugged. "But the other Harry has. He's not a survivor like I am. He could very easily sacrifice himself for the greater good. In fact, I think he expects it. Not me. I have every intention of coming out of this alive. I expect I'll slaughter the bastard and then get on with my life."

Snape nodded. "Good." Then he continued down the alley towards Ollivander's Wand Shop. Despite Harry's skill at wandless magic, Snape insisted that there were some things that required the extra power a wand afforded. Harry didn't really care one way or the other, so he readily went along with the plan.

"Ah! Mr. Potter!" a creepy old wizard with strange eyes said as they entered the store. "I have been expecting you; though you _are_ a bit late arriving."

"Five and a half years," Harry agreed. "I'm here to buy a wand."

"Of course you are," Ollivander said and began taking measurements of Harry: arm length, height, circumference of his head, and on and on. Having witnessed the other Harry's memories of the experience, Harry wasn't really surprised by the old man's eccentricities. In fact, he found them rather amusing. Ollivander pulled several boxes from the shelves and handed the first to Harry. "Give this one a try."

Harry recognized it immediately. Holly with a phoenix feather core. The other Harry's wand. Harry reached out a trembling hand and took the wand. Almost as soon as he clasped the wand in his fist, it emitted an odd, spluttering hiss. That was not the reaction any of them had been expecting.

"Curious," Ollivander muttered, almost to himself. "I could have sworn this would be the one. Perhaps because you are so late… No matter. We will find the right wand soon enough."

Half an hour later, Harry felt as if he had tried every wand in the store, and Severus looked quite impatient to get moving to their next destination. Ollivander gave Harry a quick once over and muttered unintelligibly as he wandered to the back of the store and out of sight.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Harry whispered to Severus. "Maybe I'm not supposed to have a wand. I don't really need it."

"You will need it to face the Dark Lord," Severus said and settled in to wait the process out.

"Try this one, Mr. Potter," said Ollivander as he returned from the back room carrying a long silver wand case. It was obvious right away that this wand was not like the others Harry had tried. He opened the box to find the most beautiful wand he'd ever seen. Even Severus let out a slight gasp as he peered over Harry's shoulder. "It is made of birch and ebony twined together to form the shaft, with a carved ivory handle and a dual core of dragon heartstring and phoenix feather. A very rare wand, but then again, you are a very rare wizard."

Harry ignored the old wizard as he was totally captivated by the wand before him. He was almost afraid to touch it, but as he reached forward, he felt it calling to him, drawing him in. This was HIS wand. Not that other Harry's. Two woods, two cores, two worlds. This was right. Harry picked the wand up out of its velvet lined silver case and it began to hum, emitting a soft white light. Both the noise and light grew brighter the longer Harry held the wand, until all three men were shielding their eyes from the intensity.

"Flora!" Harry said as he swished the wand in an arc, and suddenly the room was filled with flowers enough to decorate a royal wedding. A quick "Evanesco!" and they all disappeared again.

"A very rare wizard indeed," Ollivander repeated. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Tell me again why I have to wear a _dress_?" Harry complained from the fitting room at Madam Malkin's robe shop.

"They are not dresses," Severus said through the door for the third time, gritting his teeth in frustration. "They are robes, and you will be expected to wear them as my apprentice. This topic is not up for debate."

Just then, Harry emerged from the small room in the robe Madam Malkin had provided for the fitting and Severus had to bite back a snort of laughter. The robe dragged the floor, and Severus had to admit that, on Harry at least, the garment did look like dress.

"I'll remember to make this a part of the negotiations next time," Harry muttered as Madam Malkin tisked with disapproval.

"Perhaps we should explore other styles," Severus conceded, barely keeping a straight face. "Madam, do you carry the newer style of short robe? The ones made to fit over trousers?"

After another half hour of discussion, they came up with a style that suited Harry rather well. Made to be worn over muggle style shirt and trousers, it was tailored through the waist and arms, but flared out from the hips and only buttoned to the waist, or could be worn open. The hem fell just below Harry's knees and was quite becoming on the slight boy's frame.

Harry insisted on ordering ones in jade green and navy blue, though Severus required black for use at the school. They ordered four in black, both linen and wool, and one each of the colors. They also ordered several pairs of trousers and shirts to be worn with the robes, all of which were to be delivered to Hogwarts by the next morning. 

"Do we have time to go to a Muggle department store?" Harry asked as they left the robe maker's.

"Why?"

"I need shoes, socks, jeans, jumpers, and I'd like some new underwear," Harry told Severus. "Did you see the underwear they had in there?"

Severus was taken aback. "What's wrong with that underwear? I happen to buy all of my underwear from that shop."

"They only carry white cotton briefs or boxers," Harry said with a roll of his eyes, as though that were explanation enough.

"I suppose that Muggles offer a wider variety?" Severus said disdainfully.

"Of course!" Harry said with a cheeky grin.

All too soon, Severus found himself lost amid a sea of Muggle underwear. There were so many styles, colors, and fabrics from which to choose. Harry seemed to be perfectly at ease, knowing precisely what he wanted, but Severus was agog.

"Here, I'll buy these for you and you can try them out," Harry finally said after selecting a variety of boxer briefs and silk boxers in a multitude of colors. He was holding out several pairs of black silk boxers for the potions master. Severus could only nod as he imagined how good the cool slick fabric would feel against his skin, how good Harry's hand, his mouth, his tongue would feel on him through the silk.

Harry Potter was definitely a force to be reckoned with. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Severus, why are they all staring at me?" Harry asked in hushed tones as they took their places at the head table in the Great Hall that evening. Harry knew that the other Harry had faced speculation on a regular basis from the inhabitants of Hogwarts but he'd never understood just how disconcerting it could be.

"You are an unknown entity, and therefore a source of speculation," Severus explained. "Just wait. It will get worse once they know who you are."

Harry hated to admit that Severus was right, but as the headmaster announced his identity and new role to the staff and students, an almost palpable tension arose through the Hall and every eye was trained on him. A low rumble of voices almost drowned the headmaster out as he finished his little speech and dinner began.

"Fuck. They are going to be right pains in the arse, aren't they?" Harry muttered.

"Indeed," Severus smirked. "You will want to curb the use of vulgarities around the students. It will not be seen as acceptable behavior by the other staff."

"I knew I should have negotiated a better deal," Harry complained as he filled his plate with roast beef, carrots and mashed potatoes. "Dresses, and now I have to change the way I talk? This bloody well sucks."

"Ah, but think of the benefits," Severus said in a silky tone, leaving no doubt in Harry's mind as to what he was referring. "And consider this a lesson well learned. Always read the fine print before signing your life away. Money is not always the only consideration."

"Mmm," Harry agreed around a mouth full of the best food he'd had in years. After swallowing, he said, "Yes, there is also power."

"I noticed you did not comment upon that in the headmaster's presence," Severus said quietly.

"It wouldn't do for the old man to lose all of his dreams of a Golden Boy at once, now would it?" Harry said with a smirk that rivaled one of Severus' own. "I think I scared him enough for one day."

"Quite."

They were quiet for a time, as they ate the well-prepared food before them. It wasn't until dessert that Harry began talking once more.

"McGonagall reminds me of someone I used to know in London," Harry commented.

"Oh?"

"Yes, one of the older whores who always wore plaid knickers," Harry said. "Do you think McGonagall wears them too?"

Severus, who had just been taking a sip of his coffee while Harry spoke, spat out the beverage and let out a loud guffaw.

"They're all staring again," Harry said smugly. "This time, I believe it has more to do with you than me. I doubt a single person present has ever heard you laugh. You should do it more often."

Severus was too busy wiping the remnants of his drink off his robes and still chuckling to give Harry the glare that comment deserved.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hey all! I've gotten quite a few reviews urging me to keep writing and to update quickly. Just as a reminder, this story is complete (has been for several years) and I'll be posting one chapter a day as I do with all my stories. Glad you are all enjoying it so much! Jules

**Chapter****Four**

Harry's visit to Madam Pomfrey went well; she had only two concerns, Harry's weight and his eyesight, both of which could be taken care of easily. The first should begin correcting itself naturally, now that he would be eating three meals a day for the first time in his life, and Severus was ordered to make a nutritional potion to help matters along.

The second would take a few days, but Harry had already received his first eye correction treatment and could hardly believe the difference it made. He'd never had glasses, not like the other Harry, and it surprised him how bad his eyes really were now that he could see clearly. The treatment gave him perfect eyesight, though it would take several treatments for it to become permanent.

"Remember what I said," Madam Pomfrey told him as she shooed the two men from her domain. "Three meals a day and I want to see you clean your plate at every one. Do not take after this one's habit of skipping meals. In fact, see what you can do about getting him to eat as well. And I'll see you on Thursday for your next eye treatment."

Harry chuckled to himself as they made their way down to the dungeons and to their rooms.

"I would certainly hate to get on that woman's bad side," Harry remarked as they reached the lower levels of the castle. "She's a right task master."

"Quite," Severus smirked. "You should have said something about your eyes. We could have had them taken care of straight away if I had known."

Harry shrugged. "It didn't seem that important. I've always survived without glasses or anything before."

Severus waited to reply until they were safely in their rooms and seated in front of the cozy fire. "I know you take great pride in your ability to survive and in your independence. They are things you should be proud of, but you are not alone any longer. It is not a weakness to ask for help. You have the opportunity to do more than merely make do with what you are handed."

Harry sighed, "I know. It's hard to change, though. Asking for help in the past has always meant that someone had something to hold over me in the future. Often times they wanted something I didn't want to give in return. It's hard to believe that anyone would help without wanting something in return."

Severus gave him a dark and thoughtful look. "Do you believe I require sex for helping you? Is that why you wish to share the same bed?"

"No," Harry answered right away. "Not with you. I'm not sure why I trust you so completely, but I know that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt me or use me. I- I've been with other people whose magic I could sense, but none of them affected me the way you do. My magic sings when we're together. That's why I want to be with you, not out of some need for reciprocation."

"Good," Severus nodded curtly and stood. "In that case, I would very much like to take you to bed and make your body and magic sing once more."

Harry grinned and followed his lover to the bedroom.

**HPHPHPHP**

At breakfast, Dumbledore presented Harry with a training schedule. "As Severus' apprentice, you will be expected to assist him in certain duties. I have noted the classes you will be attending with him daily. You will also be taking certain periods to be tutored by the other professors in the subjects we discussed. Those have been scheduled during their free periods. I assume they will want to test you first on your aptitude in their respective subjects. I have also left a couple of free periods each day for study time. The majority of your lessons with Professor Snape will occur in the evenings."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Harry said politely as he reviewed the schedule. He noted that his first period that day would be with Professor McGonagall. "Should I meet the other professors in their classrooms or their offices?"

"Their offices," Dumbledore said. "We are not going to hide that you are having other lessons, but I believe it would be prudent to keep the nature of those lessons private for the time. Severus, you will make sure that Harry can find his way to his lessons?"

"Of course," Severus replied, knowing that Harry already had a good idea where he was going in the castle.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry's first lesson with Professor McGonagall went surprisingly well. She wanted to test his innate abilities, and he was able to reproduce any spell she requested both with and without his wand. It was hard to read the witch, but Harry got the feeling that he had surprised her.

"Very good, Mr. Potter," McGonagall finally said. "The Headmaster did not indicate where you have been receiving your education, but it appears that it was thorough. I feel that we can easily begin on seventh year spells right away, and if you are interested, I believe you would make a good candidate for Animagus training."

"My father was an Animagus, wasn't he?" Harry asked.

"Yes," McGonagall smiled fondly. "He and his friends became illegal Animagi while they were still students here at Hogwarts. Of course, I didn't find out about that until years later."

"Was my mum any good at Transfigurations?" Harry asked as he packed up his satchel with the books the professor had brought for him to study.

"She was adequate. Your father was the Transfigurations expert, along with his friend Sirius," McGonagall said. "Your mother, on the other hand, excelled at Potions, and I believe she had a bit of the Seer in her."

"Really?" Harry said. "I didn't know that." And it was true. That was a fact that his other self had never uncovered. Harry wondered why the boy never asked more about his mother. It seemed like all anyone ever discussed was James Potter. To Harry's way of thinking, James was a bit of a bully. Not that he didn't have good aspects as well, but he'd treated Severus like a pariah. Harry wondered how Severus had gotten on with his mother.

"Read over those texts," McGonagall said as she ushered Harry out. "I'll expect that you have a good basis in theory before I'll even consider helping you achieve your Animagus form."

"Yes ma'am," Harry grinned.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry had Potions next, and spent most of the period simply watching Severus at work. Until he had a bit more practical experience, Severus didn't want him helping the other students. It was interesting to watch Severus teach first hand, however. He was every bit the snarky bastard in this world as he was in the other. Fortunately, Harry wasn't his student in this one. In this world, Harry was his lover instead. Harry grinned and Severus caught his eye with a questioning gaze. Harry simply shook his head and Severus went back to berating a Hufflepuff third year who had let her cauldron boil over.

**HPHPHPHP**

During his study period, Harry made his way to the library and scoured the shelves for books on subjects he had been thinking about for years. The other Harry never spent much time in the library, and his curiosity seemed to be limited to the current mystery. Harry couldn't bring himself to care much about the danger or mysteries around him. He figured this world had survived without him for this long; they could do so for a while longer. Dumbledore seemed quite capable of dealing with anything that came up. He'd only agreed to face Voldemort when the time came. To that end, he would concentrate fully on his training and studies.

After an hour in the library, Harry was disappointed to find that most of the theories and questions he had could not be addressed by the books there. He would have to find another source. He did check out several extra books on Arithmancy. He didn't have his first lesson for three days and he wanted to have an idea of what he was facing before going into that lesson. The other Harry hadn't taken the subject, so Harry was going into this course blind. He didn't really like that feeling.

At lunch, Harry noted that Madam Pomfrey watched him eat. She gave him a satisfied smile when she saw that he'd cleaned his plate and had even gone back for seconds. Harry couldn't help but chuckle. As if he would turn away food when he'd done without for so long.

"What's so amusing, Imp?" Severus drawled.

"Madam Pomfrey is checking up on me," Harry said. "You would think I had never learned to take care of myself."

"You must admit that you are a bit on the scrawny side," Severus smirked.

"Oi, look who's talking, you git," Harry protested. "At least I have an excuse for being underweight."

Again, Severus laughed at the boy's teasing, and again the Great Hall turned its full attention on them. What was it about Harry Potter that could make the greasy git seem almost human?

**HPHPHPHP**

Severus had a double period free that afternoon, and so they began to review how much Harry knew of Potions and Defense. Harry was amazingly able to recall almost every potion Severus usually covered up through sixth year. He was even further advanced in Defense. He was able to perform counter-curses and shields that Severus hadn't learned until his Mastery training. And he could do them all wandlessly.

"Your performance is adequate," Severus admitted after they were finished.

"Bollocks," Harry said with a grin. "My performance was bloody brilliant and you know it."

"So full of yourself," Severus snarked, but his smirk was closer to a grin and ruined the effect.

"I'd rather be full of you," Harry whispered as he leaned into his older lover, pressing his semi-hard cock against his hip.

"Yes, well," Severus choked out around his own arousal. "I believe we may have half an hour before my next class."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Harry said as he dragged Severus through his office and towards their shared rooms.

**HPHPHPHP**

"Tell me how he came back," Harry said after dinner that night as they were sitting quietly in front of the fire in their quarters. "I know what happened in the other world, but he didn't come back until two years later there."

"There was a journal-."

"Tom Riddle's diary?" Harry interrupted.

"Yes," Severus said with a huff. "Please do not interrupt me."

"Sorry."

"As well you should be. Now where was I?" Severus paused to gather his thoughts. "The diary. It was given to a first year girl as she was buying her books in Dagon Alley. No one could ever prove who did it, but those among the Dark Lord's followers know."

"It was Lucius Malfoy," Harry said, but got quiet again as Severus glared at him.

"This diary held a piece of Voldemort's soul, which he then used to trick the girl into opening the Chamber of Secrets. Three students died before Albus, Hagrid and a team of Aurors could defeat the Basilisk and seal the Chamber. Unfortunately, the girl was gone before she could be reached, and the Dark Lord had regained his body. He lost a bit of his memory as that piece of his soul was only seventeen, but learned enough from the girl to fake it for a while, and now he is as powerful as ever."

"Ginny died," Harry said sadly. Without him there to save her, she was lost. "Who else? You said that three students died. Who else?"

"A Muggleborn girl by the name of Granger and a first year boy named Creevey. His brother still attends." Severus said flatly.

Harry stared at the fire for long minutes. They were gone. He hadn't been there to save them and they were now gone forever.

"What about Colin's camera? That should have saved him. He should have been petrified." Harry said with a touch of desperation. "And Hermione should have known what was attacking the students. She should have been using a mirror. They weren't supposed to die!"

"Harry," Severus said firmly, grabbing his hands and forcing him to look into his eyes. "It is not your fault. Whatever happened in that world, whatever happened in this world, you cannot control everything. You are not a god. Some people died in this world. But you have already said yourself that some people who were dead in that reality are alive in this."

"Sirius," Harry whispered.

"Yes, Black is alive," Severus said. "And who knows how many others are alive in this reality that would not be in that one? You cannot dwell on things you cannot change."

"Hermione and Ron were that Harry's best friends," Harry said quietly as tears fell unchecked down his cheeks. "I was really looking forward to meeting her. I thought we might be able to be friends in this world too. I've never had friends like that. They loved that Harry and stood by him no matter what. I really wanted to meet her."

"You can meet Weasley," Severus said. "Although I doubt he is the same boy you remember from your dreams. You need to remember that just as you are different in this world, so will the people you meet be different. Do not get your hopes up."

Harry swiped at his eyes and gave a derisive laugh at his own weakness. "I can't believe I cried over a girl I've never even met before. Gods! Maybe I should have been in Hufflepuff."

"Please!" Severus groaned and pulled Harry closer to himself. "If you were at all Hufflepuff, I would have to toss you out on your ear."

Harry and Severus were quiet for a long time, but eventually, Harry had to ask one more question. "What happened to Cedric Diggory?"

"Diggory?" Severus thought for a moment. "Well, if I recall, he won the Triwizard Tournament and went on to play Quidditch for the Chudley Cannons. I think he is now engaged to Cho Chang, a seventh year Ravenclaw. Why?"

Harry just smiled and said, "No reason."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Sorry I'm so late posting today... We got hit by a freak snowstorm and I've just gotten home from a horrific ride through a winter nightmare. Trees are falling and power lines all over the place... I'm just grateful to be home and that our powerlines are burried. Jules

**Chapter Five  
><strong>

Severus Snape slowly came to consciousness with an unintelligible groan as a warm wet heat enveloped his already tumescent cock. Harry was apparently wide-awake and ready to play. Severus was quickly catching up with his young lover's enthusiasm, and reached down to stroke the tousled hair fondly.

Harry paused and looked up with a grin. "Awake, then, are you?"

"Yes, brat, now get back to what you started," Severus demanded grumpily. He was not a morning person. Or a noon or night person for that matter. Harry just chuckled and went back to his task. Gently nibbling on the cut head, Harry teased his lover ruthlessly. "Suck me you brat!"

Harry complied happily. Engulfing Severus' cock with his lips, Harry sucked the entire length down, a skill he had learned out of necessity on the streets. Many customers did not give you a choice about how deep they went. Harry shoved those thoughts away and concentrated on giving Severus as much pleasure as possible. Alternating long hard suction with tantalizing licks to the swollen head and the sensitive slit there, Harry soon had Severus thrashing about in pleasure. It still amazed Harry how Severus, a man who prided himself on his discipline and self-control, could totally lose all semblance of reason with Harry's lips around his cock.

"Stop, stop," Severus begged. "I want to be in you. I want to fuck you. Now!"

Harry rose up, looked Severus directly in the eye, and smiled wickedly. "Good thing I already prepared myself, then, isn't it?"

Severus, too lost in pictures of Harry thrusting slick fingers up his own ass, barely noticed Harry shifting over him. It was not until Harry was poised above him, legs taut with the strain of keeping himself balanced above the cock clasped tightly in his fist, that Severus came back to reality. He wanted to thrust up into that waiting heat but forced himself to hold still, allowing Harry to set the pace for this encounter.

With infuriating care, Harry lowered himself onto the stiff shaft below him and groaned with the exquisite feeling of being filled with Severus. He could feel the blood pulsing through the thick vein on the underside of Severus' cock as he rocked steadily until he was fully seated on his lover.

"Merlin's bollocks, you are still so tight and hot," Severus moaned. "Now ride me before I decide to turn you over and take what I want."

Harry proceeded to do just that. He rocked slowly at first, shifting until he felt Severus' cock brush against his prostate. A tremble shook his body in response, and Harry sped up his motions, longing to make the sensation last forever. At the same time, he needed it to be over.

"Oh, oh gods!" Harry whimpered. "I need…I need more!"

Severus took the initiative, rolled them over, never breaking contact, and began thrusting into his lover fast and hard. Harry cried out in his pleasure, and Severus responded with moans of his own. Harry clutched at his own throbbing erection and began to stroke in time to the almost brutal thrusts of his lover.

It was all too much, and yet still not enough. When Severus leaned down and took the expanse of flesh between Harry's neck and shoulder into his mouth, biting and sucking almost painfully, Harry reached the pinnacle of his pleasure and felt the world tilt around him as the waves of his orgasm threatened to drown him.

Severus felt the hot burst of come between them and the reflexive tightening of Harry's channel around him, and knew that he was totally lost. He thrust sharply into Harry once, twice, more and came.

Long minutes later, when their breathing had finally returned to normal, Harry leaned up and looked into Severus' eyes with a smirk. "Good morning."

**HPHPHPHP**

Despite seeing many of the students who should have been his classmates in the corridors and the Potions classroom, Harry did not really get to meet any of them for the first two weeks. His time seemed to be completely taken up with studying and training. He knew, however, that eventually he would have to face them.

It happened one Saturday morning before a Hogsmeade trip. Harry had just left the Great Hall, intent on spending a quiet morning in the library, when he was stopped by none other than Draco Malfoy, surrounded by his goons and horse faced girlfriend.

"Can I help you with something, Mr. Malfoy?" Harry said in his best imitation of Severus's drawl.

"I just wanted to welcome you to Hogwarts," Draco smirked in that irritatingly smug manner that Harry remembered from his dreams. Harry also remembered Severus' advice that things in this world might be different from the one in his dreams, and he already knew that the other Harry was often mistaken in his evaluation of people, so he refrained from hexing the boy outright. Instead, when offered a hand to shake, Harry clasped it tightly, half in acceptance, half in warning. As the two eyed each other, Harry knew that Draco was reading the warning correctly.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Harry said, his voice a blend of sincerity and sarcasm that was hard for the others to read. "I have found Hogwarts to be most interesting so far. Though you are the first students to actually welcome me."

"Then the others are all mannerless cretins," Draco said. "If you would like, you are more than welcome to join us. We were just heading into Hogsmeade for a bit."

Harry looked at the blond boy for a moment and then nodded. "Let me just speak with Professor Snape first."

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry went off to Hogsmeade with a strict warning not to trust Draco or any of his friends. Harry had simply laughed at his lover; of course, he did not trust Draco. However, Harry had pointed out an old Muggle adage that said to keep your friends close and enemies closer. Severus had smirked at the boy and sent him on his way.

Harry was not sure if Draco and his crew were on their best behavior for his benefit, or if they truly were very different from the Slytherins of his dream world, but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable morning. The five of them went from shop to shop, buying small trinkets that caught their eyes and teasing each other good-naturedly.

Harry came to realize a few things about Draco Malfoy that morning. The first of which was that he and Pansy were betrothed and had been since before they were born. He also found out that, while they were good friends and upheld the image expected of them, neither of them wanted to marry the other. Pansy was totally smitten with Blaise Zabini and Draco was a bit of a playboy amongst the young men of Slytherin. According to Greg Goyle, he had a new boyfriend every week. All very hush-hush, of course. It would not do to piss off Lucius Malfoy.

The second thing Harry discovered was that Draco Malfoy was not nearly the prick he had always thought him to be. He was simply a boy trying to make the best of a situation that was out of his control. His family put a lot of pressure on him to be perfect: the perfect son, the perfect student, the perfect Junior Death Eater. Much of his attitude was simply posturing, false aggression to mask his insecurity and fear.

None of those things made Harry trust Draco any more than he had before. After all, the boy would likely turn him over to Voldemort for a pat on the head and a word of approval from his father. However, he did not hate the prat as much as he thought he would.

"So, how did you end up as Uncle Severus' apprentice?" Draco finally asked the question Harry knew he had been chewing on all day as they drank butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks that afternoon. "You should have been in our year, right?"

"Yes," Harry said. "But because of my history and the possibility that someone would try to hurt me, Dumbledore decided that I should be privately educated. When Dumbledore came to check on me this year, he decided that I had learned as much as I could from the private tutors, so he asked Professor Snape to take me on."

"How can you stand spending so much time with him?" Pansy asked. "I know he's our Head of House, and I respect him and all, but the man can be a true bastard."

Harry just laughed. "Yes, he can be, but he's okay as long as thinks you aren't an idiot. Lucky for me, I'm pretty smart."

"Too smart for your own good, Mr. Potter," a silky voice drawled from behind him. Without even recognizing the voice, Harry would have known who it was by the looks on the others' faces.

"Good afternoon, Professor," Harry grinned, not at all disturbed to be found talking about the snarky professor. "Was I supposed to meet you?"

Severus glared at the boy, disturbed by the scene and unsure as to why that would be, but answered eventually, "No, I needed to pick up some supplies and decided to see how you are faring. As you seem to be doing fine, I will leave you."

"Are we still restocking potions for the hospital wing tonight?" Harry asked before Severus could stride away.

"Why? Did you have other plans?" Severus sneered.

Harry suddenly recognized the emotion that Severus was concealing quite well. He was jealous, and Harry doubted that even he realized what he was feeling.

Taking pity on the confused and angry man, Harry said quietly, "No sir, I was just making sure you hadn't changed your mind."

Severus looked into Harry's eyes for a moment, and then nodded. "We will discuss this at dinner."

**HPHPHPHP**

"Did you enjoy your day with Draco and company?" Severus asked coolly as Harry took his seat at the table in the Great Hall.

"Yes, actually," Harry responded honestly. "I was rather surprised to find that they can be… entertaining. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, of course, but it was an amusing afternoon."

"Perhaps we should re-examine your time-table in order to fit in a bit more social time," Severus said agreeably, but Harry wasn't fooled. His lover was upset. "You would do well to spend more time with others your own age."

Harry angrily turned and faced the Potions Master fully. "You really are a git, you know that?" Harry whispered fiercely. "I don't want to spend more time with the students. I want to learn what I need to defeat old Snake Face. When I'm not doing that…I want to be doing you! Now get over yourself!"

"You can't keep spending all of your time with a man twice your age," Severus hissed. "It's not healthy."

"Oh, and I suppose turning tricks on the street was good for me?" Harry spat back. "Listen, I make up my own mind about who I spend time with. If I want to spend the occasional afternoon with Draco or anyone else, that's up to me. If I want to spend even more time with you, that should be up to me as well. I will not live my life like that other Harry, constantly worried about living up to others' expectations. My first and only priority is to do what makes me happy. And being with you makes me happy, so deal with it!"

Severus spared a moment to glance at the staff around them. They had not heard what was said, but they were obviously aware that the two men were arguing for the first time since Harry's arrival. He needed to deflect attention.

"We will discuss this later," Severus finally said, but Harry could almost feel some of the anger drain from his lover.

"We will," Harry agreed with a small smile. "But just know that I intend to be naked when we do."

Severus could not hold back the smirk at Harry's words, and the Great Hall let out a collective sigh of relief. No one wanted Snape to return to the cold bastard he used to be before Harry Potter made him laugh.

**HPHPHPHP**

"I have received a missive from my son, my Lord," the masked Death Eater stated as he bowed low before his master. "He says that the Potter boy is very close with Severus."

"Very good," Voldemort hissed. "Perhaps we can use this to our advantage. If he trusts Severus, perhaps he can be persuaded to see things from our point of view."

"Excuse my ignorance, my Lord," the man apologized, "but to what end? I thought you wanted the brat dead."

"It is foolish to destroy out of hand that which may be of use to you," Voldemort explained. "If he can be turned, he would make a very powerful ally. Moreover, if he cannot be of use, Severus is in the perfect position to bring the boy to me. Either he will serve me or he will die."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Send word to Severus, I wish to speak with him."

"Yes, my Lord."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Sorry again for the delay! We ended up losing power early Sunday morning and didn't get it back until late last night. Can I just tell you how hard it is to live without the internet? I can do without lights or heat, but not having the internet just about killed me! Well, the good news is that thepower is back and therefore so am I! And for all of you waiting for Harry to meet Ron, wait no longer! Jules

**Chapter Six  
><strong>

Harry was making his way across the courtyard, enjoying the early spring morning and recalling just how happily he and Severus had made up the night before. Severus was stubborn, and it would take more than just one night of passion to convince him that he was not corrupting Harry in some way, or taking him away from a normal life, but Harry was patient and knew he would eventually get his way. After all, Severus wanted to believe him; he just was not sure that he could or should.

"Potter!" a familiar voice called out to him and Harry turned to greet Ron Weasley with a smile. The smile faded, however, when he noticed the look of contempt and anger on the other boy's face.

"Yes?" Harry said, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

"What game are you playing at?" Ron sneered, and Harry noted for the first time that Ron was not alone. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were close behind him.

"I'm not sure I understand your question," Harry replied coolly. This was not what he had expected his first conversation with Ron to be like. This was more what he had expected from Draco.

"You're the bloody Boy-Who-Lived," Ron said and the others nodded, as if this made perfect sense to them.

"And?"

"What the hell are you about, spending time with those slimy Slytherins?" Ron growled.

Harry almost laughed sadly. Some things did not change. Ron was as prejudiced as ever. However, in this world, he had no Harry or Hermione to talk sense into him. Harry was afraid it might be too late for the Gryffindor to change now.

"They asked me to spend the day with them," Harry shrugged. "Unlike any of the other students here."

Ron recognized the censure in Harry's tone and balked. "Why would anyone want to spend time with the greasy git's whore?"

Harry's heart stopped for a moment. They could not know. It had to be just speculation.

"You know nothing, Weasley," Harry spat out, his temper starting to rise. "You live in that tower and life seems so black and white through such an expanse. However, real life doesn't work that way. Real life is about more than house rivalries and petty jealousies. Hermione was right all along. You need to grow up."

Harry started to turn away, but was stopped by Ron's hand clutching his arm painfully.

"Granger?" Ron drawled. "What do you know of that know-it-all Muggleborn bint?"

"I know enough," Harry snarled, wrenching his arm away. "I know she knew more about life than you ever will, Muggleborn or not."

"She was a bitch," Ron snapped. "And I'm glad she's gone! She thought she knew everything, but she didn't know enough to keep out of the way of a basilisk, now did she?"

Harry lost it. He may have never known the Hermione of this world, but a part of him truly mourned her loss. He felt his magic building up inside of him as the anger flared. Dean and Seamus took steps away, but Ron was locked in place by the surge of power that washed over Harry. The wind picked up and the air crackled with untapped electricity. Everyone in the courtyard could feel the power flowing around the young apprentice and were frozen in place with fear and awe.

"Don't you dare speak of her in that manner!" Harry shouted and his magic flared to new heights. Ron's eyes were wide and frightened. "You don't deserve to even speak her name!" With those words, a flash of energy sizzled between the two wizards and Ron was knocked flat on his ass. Harry glared at him for long minutes as he reined in his power once more before stalking away from the gaping stares of the stunned students.

**HPHPHPHP**

"Harry?" Professor Dumbledore interrupted Harry's reverie and sat down beside him on the stone bench beside the calm waters of the lake. "I heard about what happened in the courtyard today. I was rather worried about you."

Harry looked up at the manipulative headmaster and closed his mind off. He'd already let too much slip once today, no sense giving Dumbledore more ammunition against him.

"Weasley is an ignorant fool," Harry stated. "He believes that appearances mean more than anything else."

"I see," Dumbledore nodded.

"Is he okay?" Harry finally asked after a prolonged silence.

"Physically, yes," Dumbledore said. "But you left your mark on him in other ways."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, the boy hasn't been able to say a word since your confrontation," Dumbledore explained. "Madam Pomfrey, Professor Flitwick and I have all tried to remove whatever hex you used, but have been unsuccessful. What did you do to him?"

Harry shrugged, "It wasn't a hex. Not really. I simply decided he should not be allowed to say such rude and hurtful things anymore. He won't be able to speak until he learns to be a bit more respectful of others."

"Harry…"

"Don't bother," Harry said coolly. "Even if I wanted to remove the effect, I'm not sure I could. And since I don't want to, he'll have to find a way to grow up."

Dumbledore frowned but did not argue the point further. Instead, he changed tactics.

"The other students who witnessed the confrontation said you became irate when Ron spoke negatively about a Muggleborn student who had died several years ago."

"He had no right to disparage someone who died trying to save this school," Harry sighed. He wasn't sure how he could explain why he had had such a strong reaction to hearing Ron talk about Hermione like that. He wasn't supposed to know anything about her.

"You are right, of course, but that doesn't explain why you reacted so vehemently," Dumbledore pushed.

"No, it doesn't," Harry said flatly, deciding that there was nothing for it but to refuse to answer any more of Dumbledore's questions on the subject. He was already suspicious; no matter what excuse Harry came up with, Dumbledore would still cling to those notions, so why bother?

"If that's all, sir, I do have an appointment with Professor Snape in five minutes," Harry said as he stood and wiped the dust from his robes.

Dumbledore looked at him for long minutes before saying, "No, that was all."

**HPHPHPHP**

"Merlin, Severus! I can't stand that prat!" Harry ranted as soon as the door to the Potions Master's office had been shut and warded.

"Weasley or Dumbledore?" Severus smirked as he took Harry into his arms to sooth his irritation.

"Both," Harry muttered, already calming in his lover's arms. "I take it you heard about the incident in the courtyard?"

"Of course," Severus said. "It is not everyday that the students witness a display of true raw power such as the one you gave them. It was all over the school before five minutes were out."

"Raw power?" Harry asked, wanting to change the subject from his burst of bad temper.

Severus looked down into his lover's eyes and sighed. "I sometimes forget how little you know of the wizarding world. You seem so well informed about some things, and so grievously ignorant in other areas.

"Every witch or wizard has a pool of magical energy inside of them from which they draw their ability to perform spells and whatnot. Even squibs have a very small core of magic that allows them at least to see magical places and beings. The deeper that pool is, the more potential power a wizard has, but even those with a deep pool often have difficulty drawing from those resources. It is extremely rare to find a wizard who has both the raw power residing within them and the ability to use that power effectively. Voldemort, Dumbledore, and maybe a handful of others alive today can tap into the depths of their magical resources. Today, however, you not only drew from the depths of your power, but you performed magic that even Dumbledore cannot recreate or reverse. A feat worthy of discussion, in the eyes of the students."

"Great, now they'll all think I'm the next Dark Lord," Harry grumbled and tried to pull away, but Severus held firm. "If you could have seen Dumbledore's face. I know he's afraid of me. He didn't even argue when I told him I wouldn't put Weasley to rights. Of course I told him I wasn't sure if I could do it anyway."

"And can you?"

Harry gave Severus a wicked grin, "Of course I can. Dumbledore thinks Ron will have to change his attitude for the spell to break, but it will only come off when I think he's learned his lesson. Besides, it will keep Dumbledore guessing about how much of that was skill and how much accidental magic. I learned that from the other Harry when he blew up his Aunt Marge and let everyone believe it was an accident."

Severus laughed. "Speaking of lessons, I believe we are supposed to be reviewing shielding spells, counter-curses and defensive maneuvers."

Harry groaned. "When are we going to get past the defensive rot and get to learning offensive spells? I'm not going to be able to kill Voldemort with a shielding spell."

"No you are not," Severus sighed. "However, I am only authorized to teach you defensive magic. Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic believe it would be too dangerous for you to learn how to truly fight."

"So what? I'm supposed to rely on good luck and my scar?" Harry sneered.

"No," Severus said. "You will know everything I know about fighting before we are finished, but we will have to have those lessons someplace more secure from prying eyes and ears. It would be rather difficult to hide the noise and destruction, even with silencing charms and wards."

"So when?"

"This summer we will go to a safe house and I will teach you everything I know," Severus stated.

"Thank you, Severus," Harry said and kissed his lover tenderly. "I'm ready to review those shields now."

**HPHPHPHP**

Severus was summoned that Friday night and Harry sat up waiting for his lover's return watching the fire in silent contemplation. He knew that Severus had to go to Voldemort, but he hated it all the same. Even if they did not need the inside information that Severus could supply, it would be more dangerous for Severus to leave Voldemort's service than it was to stay. As long as Severus had that mark on his arm, his life belonged to the evil bastard. He could kill him in an instant, never having even set eyes upon him.

Silently, Harry vowed to find a way to remove the mark from his lover. He had never had anything good in his life, and now that he had found Severus, he was determined to keep him. With that goal in mind, Harry made his way up to the library. Severus would not be back for several hours, he knew, and he could use that time to do a little research on fealty marks.

**HPHPHPHP**

"He wants me to bring you to him," Severus sighed late that night when he finally returned to their quarters. He sat down beside Harry on the sofa and gathered his lover close. "He has heard of our friendship and wishes to use it in order to bring you to heel."

"Join him or die?" Harry guessed.

"Precisely," Severus sighed and inhaled the sweet smell that was uniquely Harry. "He has given me until the summer break to bring you in. That doesn't give us enough time to finish your training."

"And if you fail…"

"My life is forfeit," Severus finished the thought that Harry could not voice.

"There may be another option," Harry said.

Severus sat up and looked down at Harry. "What are you thinking?"

"Just that my public altercation with Weasley may be of some benefit after all," Harry replied cryptically.

Severus simply glared at him until Harry continued. "If he's got spies following our movements within Hogwarts then he will know of my display of power the other day, right?"

"Yes, but I do not see how that can be beneficial," Severus said. "It will only make you seem more dangerous than ever, and put you in more danger."

"Possibly," Harry said. "But you have already told me that he thinks that I can be swayed to his side. He believes that my loyalty can be bought. He has only thought of two options, however. Either I am for him or against him. What if we give him a third option to consider."

"And what would that be?" Severus asked warily.

"If he believes I am powerful enough, he may be willing to negotiate a treaty with me, thus buying us enough time to complete my training," Harry said.

Severus stared at his lover with a calculating smirk on his face. "He would need to believe you are very powerful. He would need proof that he couldn't simply wipe you out and be done with the matter."

"I know," Harry smiled peacefully. "And I have just the thing to get his attention."

**HPHPHPHP**

Somewhere in England, Lord Voldemort could feel that something was not right. His magic was fluctuating wildly. He knew he was in no danger, but there was a…disturbance.

"Avery!" Voldemort shouted and his servant came running, bowing low before his master. "Give me your arm! I wish to call Severus back to me."

Five minutes later, Avery lay in a quivering heap, having suffered the brunt of his master's displeasure. Severus was gone, disconnected from his dark mark. He could not be reached, nor could he be punished for his treachery.

"Bring me Lucius!" Voldemort hissed and the three Death Eaters attending him all jumped at once to obey.

**HPHPHPHP**

"How soon do you think it will be before he notices?" Severus asked as he stared at his left forearm. Where the Dark Mark used to be, there was now another magical tattoo. Harry had found a way to remove his connection with Voldemort by replacing his mark with one of his own. He now belonged to Harry.

"He will have felt it right away, if my guess is correct," Harry said. "How long it takes him to figure out what happened…I couldn't say, but I doubt it will be long."

"I belong to you, now," Severus said in an awed whisper.

"No," Harry denied and turned Severus' face to his. "I am not that bastard. You belong to no one but yourself. You simply carry a part of me with you now."

Severus nodded and looked down again at the mark that now decorated his arm. A small lightning bolt with the letters HP on either side. He could live with this, he decided.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven  
><strong>

Harry and Severus awoke the next morning to the insistent tap-tapping of an owl at the only window in their dungeon quarters. As the window was at ground level to the outside world, they usually kept it shut, but this morning they were both sorry they did, as the owl simply would not go away until they let him in. As it was a Saturday, they had both hoped for a chance to sleep in, but that was not to be.

"Do you recognize the owl?" Harry asked as Severus accepted the parchment from the owl and broke the seal.

"Hmm, yes, it belongs to Lucius," Severus said distractedly as he perused the letter. "Here read this."

_Dear __Severus,_

_I hope this __letter __finds __you __well. __Draco __has __mentioned __that __you __seem __particularly __cheerful __of __late. __Of __course, __cheerful __for __you __usually __means __that __you __have __not __beheaded __any __students __recently. __It __makes __one __wonder, __however, __as __to __the __source __of __your __newfound __bliss. __Could __it __have __anything __to __do __with __a __certain __young __apprentice?_

_Our mutual __friend __has __been __asking __about __you. __He __is __worried __that __something __troublesome __might __have __come __your __way, __as __he __has __been __unable __to __reach __you. __I __do __hope __you __have __not __found __yourself __in __a __situation __you __cannot __handle. __I __do __so __worry __about __your __welfare._

_I__ will __be __calling __upon __the __school __today __to __see __Draco __about __some __family __business, __and __wondered __if __I __might __drop __in __to __reassure __myself __that __all __is __well. __Would __lunch __in __your __quarters __be __agreeable? __Please, __do __let __me __know._

_Yours truly,  
>Lucius<em>

"I guess that answers the question of how long it will take Voldemort to notice," Harry said.

"You will need to be present for at least a portion of lunch," Severus stated as he attached a reply to the owl's leg. "He will want to see how we interact. It would not hurt to give him a taste of your power as well."

Harry nodded his agreement. They would definitely need to come up with a feasible plan to display his power that would not also seem too obvious a ploy. Perhaps a small show of temper might do the trick.

Just then, another owl flew through the still open window.

"What is this? The Owl Post Office?" Severus grumped. This time the unfamiliar owl landed on Harry's shoulder. He took the missive and scanned its contents.

"Sirius and Remus are coming today as well," Harry sighed. "So much for a peaceful weekend."

"When will they arrive?"

"Ten o'clock."

"Good, then we will have time to deal with them before Lucius' arrival," Severus said. "I think this may work to our benefit."

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry and Severus spent breakfast in their quarters discussing exactly how they were going to handle each of the meetings, and by the time Sirius and Remus arrived, they were agreed upon their course of action. Severus went to answer the door when the knock sounded five minutes early.

"Where is my godson, Snape?" Sirius growled and shoved Severus aside to enter the sitting room uninvited. Remus gave Severus an apologetic shrug before following his lover inside.

"Harry will be out in a moment," Severus said to Remus, totally ignoring Sirius as he paced around the room and tried to open each door unsuccessfully. "Would you care for tea?"

"Yes, please," Remus replied, following Severus' lead. He took his seat and ignored his mate while Severus brought in the tea tray from the kitchenette.

"Cream, no sugar, if I remember correctly," Severus said as he handed the prepared tea to the werewolf.

"You have excellent recall," Remus smiled. Meanwhile, Sirius gave up his fruitless search and took a seat by his lover.

"Black, two sugars," Black said without preamble.

Severus had to bite back a rude comment, but he managed to serve the tea without incident. Just as he had finished preparing cups for both himself and Harry, his young lover entered the room from their bedroom. He had obviously just finished showering, as his hair was still a bit damp, and he smiled at Severus as he took his seat beside him on the sofa. Both Remus and Sirius noted just how close the two were sitting, but other than a low growl from Sirius, no mention was made of the fact.

"I'm so glad you both came," Harry smiled at the two wizards. "I've wanted to meet you for so long."

"How are you, Harry?" Remus asked. "We've been searching for you since it was discovered that you were no longer with your aunt and uncle. Even after the others gave up, we never could. We lost your trail after you ran away from Protective Services three years ago. It was like you'd dropped off the face of the earth."

"In a manner of speaking, I did," Harry said. Glancing at Sirius to judge just how well he would take the news, Harry took a deep breath before continuing. "I ran away from the last home because the man running the place decided he liked me a bit too much. I figured I could do just as well on my own. I have lived for the past three years as a hustler. That's how I met Severus. I propositioned him, and he recognized my scar."

"Oh dear Merlin," Sirius groaned. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't-."

"Let's not play that game, please," Harry interrupted. "It's old and will not get us anywhere. What you need to understand is that I did what I had to do to survive, and I have. Now, I will do what I have to do to destroy Voldemort. I finally have a chance at a future and I plan to make the most of it. But in order to do that, I will need your help."

Harry spent the next half hour going over exactly what had happened since he had rejoined the wizarding world. Remus asked a few pertinent questions, and Sirius growled once or twice, but they seemed to take the situation in stride for the most part.

"So you removed Severus' Dark Mark?" Remus asked when Harry got to that point in the story. "But how is that possible? Dumbledore always said that it was impossible."

"For him, maybe," Harry smirked.

Severus shot Harry a smile before answering the question. "Harry was able to override Voldemort's connection by replacing it with his own mark."

"I placed a bit of my own magic within Severus while dismantling the magic Voldemort had used," Harry explained. "It wasn't easy, by any means, but it was not impossible."

"Then why didn't Dumbledore…" Sirius finally asked with a frown.

"He could not," Severus said. "Or would not. Not only does this rite require a great deal of power, it also requires the person to link himself with the recipient. In effect, I now have a new master."

Harry frowned at Severus' explanation.

"What?" Severus asked artlessly. "It is true, and you know it. Just because your intent is different does not make the result any different. I know you will never use the link to hurt me or control me the way that Voldemort did. I trust you."

"Thank you," Harry said, slightly mollified.

"So Voldemort now knows that he has lost you to Harry," Remus said, bringing them back on topic. "Where does that leave us, then? And why is Dumbledore not present if we are discussing a strategy to defeat Voldemort?"

"Dumbledore is, in many ways, naïve," Severus said as diplomatically as possible. "He wants to believe that when the prophecy speaks of a 'power the Dark Lord knows not,' that it is referring to love."

"I don't know about you, but I am not willing to risk my life and the fate of the wizarding world on a crazy idea like that," Harry muttered. "The old man won't even allow Severus to teach me offensive fighting techniques. He is so caught up in the idea of Light and Dark, Good versus Evil, that he fails to recognize that the world is not that simple."

"Then why are you sharing with us?" Sirius asked. He looked like he was totally lost. Harry was nothing like he had expected; he was almost as Slytherin in his thinking as old Snivellus. Yet, he was Harry's godfather, and Harry was asking for his help. How could he refuse?

"You spent years in Azkaban, Black," Severus said. "You know life is not always as clear-cut as that. Moreover, Remus, you have had your own trials to deal with. You both recognize, I hope, that there are gray areas in life."

"And you plan on using those gray areas to defeat Voldemort?" Remus asked.

"Yes," Harry said firmly. "We cannot tell you any more than that until we have your assurance that what is said in this room stays between us. Even if you decide you cannot help us after you hear our plans, we must be sure that you will not go to Dumbledore or the rest of the Order."

"Harry, you are my godson," Sirius said. "I would do anything for you short of helping you become the next Dark Lord."

Harry grimaced. "Well…"

**HPHPHPHP**

Lucius Malfoy arrived at exactly noon, just as planned, and Severus once again was there to greet their guest. Once they were settled and had the pleasantries out of the way, Lucius cut right to the heart of the matter.

"Severus, you've broken the link with our Lord," Lucius scolded.

Severus gave his old friend a knowing look and rolled up his sleeve. "I serve a new master these days, Lucius. You would be wise to follow my lead."

Lucius looked closely at the mark on Severus' arm and gasped. This was not what he had been anticipating. He had thought that perhaps Dumbledore had finally convinced Severus to change sides. However, this was something else entirely.

"You have given yourself to the Potter brat?" Lucius asked.

"I would thank you to refrain from disparaging my master," Severus drawled. "And as I said before, you would do well to re-examine your own loyalties. Harry is the future. He is untainted by death and decay. And he is more powerful than you could ever dream."

Just then, Harry entered the room from the spare bedroom, followed closely by Sirius and Remus. Both men were now sporting marks on their bare arms identical to the one Severus bore. Harry had offered them the option of using a simple magical tattoo that could be removed later, but they had insisted on the real thing. They were now every bit as dependant upon Harry as Severus was.

There was a silence in the room, as the two groups eyed each other. Only Harry seemed completely unaffected by the tension in the air.

"I will expect a report from you tomorrow," Harry told his godfather and Remus. "I need to know that I can count on you."

"Of course, Harry," Sirius said and nodded briefly to Severus before returning his attention to Harry. "It will be as you wish."

Remus and Sirius left, having played their parts to perfection.

"Well now, Mr. Malfoy," Harry smiled warmly as he took his seat beside Severus. "I do hope that Severus has been filling you in on the way the wind is now blowing. You would do well to listen to him. He is a very intelligent man."

Lucius looked taken aback to be directly addressed by Harry on the issue at hand. "Yes, he has told me a bit of what is going on, but I must admit to some confusion. I was unaware that you had recruited others to your cause."

Harry chuckled good-naturedly. "We are still few in numbers, but I am very selective about who I invite into my circle of friends."

"And yet you have a blood traitor, a half-blood and a werewolf in your ranks," Lucius pointed out.

"Is your master not a half-blood himself?" Harry replied. "Am I not as well? I am not interested in purity of blood, Mr. Malfoy, but purity of intent."

"I'm not sure I understand," Lucius admitted.

"No? Perhaps I am being too abstract," Harry mused. "I wish to remove both sides of this hateful war, Mr. Malfoy. I am not pleased with the way that this war has divided our world into factions of Dark and Light. The fault lies with both sides, in this. My parents were just two of the victims of the lunatics that claim to be serving our people. I do not believe either of them. People want peace. Moreover, they will follow whomever they believe can bring that peace. Who do you think has that ability, Mr. Malfoy? Your master, who has become so obsessed with destroying anyone who opposes him? Dumbledore, who is just as obsessed with winning at all costs?

"You are an intelligent man, Mr. Malfoy," Harry continued. "Do you believe that your son would be safe from Voldemort's ire if he gave himself to the Dark Mark? Do you believe that he will be treated fairly by the Light if they win? You should re-examine your priorities, my friend. What is more important to you? Purity of blood, or security, peace, and a future for your son?"

Lucius gaped at Harry. This boy was nothing like he had expected him to be. He was not Dumbledore's Golden Boy. Neither was he the easily swayed tool that Voldemort had hoped. This boy—and he _was_still a boy—had not even reached the peak of his power, and yet he was already powerful enough to bring Severus to heel. This situation would bear some thinking.

"Your master will expect a report from you, Lucius," Severus finally said. "You may tell him as much or as little of our conversation as pleases you. Know this, however: you will not be extended this invitation more than once. If you reveal the full contents of this discussion, we will still prevail, but you will not be welcome here again."

"If you choose to hold back on certain information, I will give you time to consider your position," Harry said pleasantly. "This offer does have a time limit."

Lucius looked them both over for long minutes before making up his mind. "What should I relay?"

**HPHPHPHP**

"He is very powerful," Lucius reported to Voldemort that evening. "And he has already begun amassing followers. So far, there is only Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Severus, but I feel confident that it will not be long before he has quite the following. Draco reported an incident to me of the Potter boy using a highly powerful bit of wandless magic on another student. He said that even the teachers have become wary of Potter's power."

"And what is his rallying cry?" Voldemort sneered, unable to take the threat of a sixteen-year-old boy too seriously, even if he had stolen one of his most valued servants from him.

"He said he wants peace," Lucius told him. Voldemort simply laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter****Eight**

As agreed upon, Sirius and Remus were back the next morning to decide where they needed to go from there. Now that Lucius was teetering on the edge of betraying Voldemort, they had a potential spy almost secured. Of course, almost was not good enough. They needed to be able to trust Lucius, while not exposing his duplicity, and still allow him to walk freely amongst the Death Eaters.

"The most expedient way would be to use an Unbreakable Vow," Remus suggested.

"That is if the git decides to join us," Sirius said pessimistically.

"He will," Severus assured. "Lucius is many things, but stupid is not one of them. Between the insanity that Voldemort has displayed since his return, his respect for my opinion (yes, Black, some people actually do respect me!), and his fear for his son's wellbeing, I think it is a safe bet that Lucius will be in contact before long."

"In the meantime, we need to keep working on Harry's training," Remus pointed out. "If he is to be any sort of a match for Voldemort, he will need to know more than just the basics taught at Hogwarts."

"We had planned on waiting until the summer and going elsewhere to train, but I'm not sure we will have that luxury now," Harry sighed.

"Severus, you can't train Harry without raising Dumbledore's suspicions, but what about Sirius and I?" Remus said.

"It all depends," Severus mused. "How much can you teach him?"

"Obviously we don't have as much practical experience as you do," Remus said. "But we were both trained to fight for the Order. And I have my mastery in Defense. I think we would do alright."

"Harry could floo to our house a couple of evenings a week," Sirius offered. "We could tell Dumbledore that we are getting to know each other and would prefer to do it away from Hogwarts."

"Away from me, you mean," Severus snorted. "At least it is a credible excuse."

"Just how powerful are you, Harry?" Remus asked.

"Very," Harry and Severus answered together.

"We'll need more support," Sirius said thoughtfully. "From both sides, if this is to work. I think there are a few Order members who are a bit fed up with the current state of affairs. How about from the other side, Severus? Know anyone ready to be shut of old Snake Face?"

"There may be one or two," Severus said. "Be forewarned, however. Most of them will not be from the inner circle as Lucius is."

"That's okay," Harry said. "The point is Voldemort needs to feel that I am taking his people from him. He needs to perceive me as a viable threat. And not just because of the prophecy."

"If he doesn't take you seriously now, he soon will," Severus said firmly. 

**HPHPHPHP**

It was Wednesday before Harry could go to his first lesson with Sirius and Remus. Just like with Severus, they first wanted to see what he already knew. Unlike Severus, however, they were rather profuse with their praise.

"I can see that it won't take much to get you into fighting shape," Remus smiled as they took a break and Sirius went to fetch drinks for them.

"I have been working very hard for a long time now," Harry said. He had decided to keep his dreams a secret, even from Remus and Sirius. All they knew was that Harry had found a way to train himself while living on the streets. "I will do what needs to be done when the time comes, and I will make sure that I can live in peace when it is all over."

"An admirable goal," Remus said distractedly.

"Go on, I know you are dying to ask," Harry prompted.

"You and Severus…"

"Are lovers," Harry filled in. "Yes. And no, he is not taking advantage of me. I have to convince him on a regular basis that this is not immoral and is consensual. I am not a child; I've never had that luxury. Severus is a good man, and I should know; I've met my share of bad ones."

Remus gave a sad smile at that. "Yes, I'm sure you have. I don't want to judge. I'm only concerned for your happiness."

"I know, and I appreciate that," Harry said. "I also know that Sirius will not be quite so understanding."

"I don't know about that," Remus hedged. "He isn't nearly as unobservant as most people think. I'm sure that he already suspects. And if he hasn't threatened to hex Severus by now, there's a good chance that he won't."

"Maybe."

"We've all got too much to lose if we turn on each other," Remus continued. "Sirius knows that. And I think he may be afraid of alienating you. We never stopped looking, but it was difficult not to lose hope after a while. I think he's just so grateful to have you in our lives that he won't do anything that might risk losing you again."

"Our magic connects, Severus and I; it sings," Harry said softly. "I've never felt that way with anyone else. When we're together, it's like a symphony of sensations. If I had to choose, I wouldn't give that up for anyone."

"I understand," Remus said. "I don't think I could ever willingly give up Sirius, either. Even when he acts the prat."

"So pretty much all the time, then?" Harry teased.

"Hey, look who's talking!" Remus laughed. "At least my lover isn't a sarcastic bastard!"

"Yeah, but he's my sarcastic bastard," Harry grinned. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Harry?" Draco said quietly as he approached the apprentice in the library the next morning and sat down. "My dad asked me to pass on a message. He said that he has thought your offer over and would like to negotiate. He will be here again this weekend. He asked if the same time would be convenient."

Harry nodded but did not reply.

"What's going on?" Draco asked when it became obvious that Harry was not going to tell him anything. "Why is my father coming to see you? What offer did you make him?"

Harry looked at the other boy and found trace of compassion within him. "If you love your father, you will not speak of this to anyone, Draco. He and I have business to discuss that could save his life. Possibly save yours. However, it is imperative that no one else knows. Do you understand?"

Draco had grown up around enough danger and secrecy to put the pieces together. He nodded and walked away from the most powerful wizard he had ever met. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Lucius will be joining us for lunch again on Saturday," Harry told Severus that evening as they prepared for bed. "Draco was concerned for his father when he passed the message on."

"What did you tell him?" Severus turned down the down duvet and climbed into the waiting warmth.

"Just that he needs to keep quiet about any suspicions he may have if he values his father's life at all," Harry shrugged and joined his lover in bed. He snuggled up close. "You know, I think I like this almost as much as I like being fucked by you."

"What? Being in bed together?'

"Yes," Harry sighed with contentment as Severus carded his fingers through Harry's unruly tresses. "I like when you hold me like this. No one ever has before. It makes me feel…I don't know…special?"

"You are very special," Severus said and kissed the top of Harry's head. "I rather enjoy these times myself. I have spent entirely too many years alone. Having you here has been a gift. I will treasure your company for as long as you choose to stay."

"I have no plans for leaving anytime soon, so you should get used to having me around, then," Harry smiled. He knew that Severus was still rather insecure about their relationship, but he was getting better. He had not brought up the idea that Harry might be happier with someone his own age in almost a week. A definite improvement. "I like being with you too much to go anywhere."

Severus was quiet for a time, simply holding Harry close and stroking his arm. Finally, Harry broke the silence, "We should probably get some sleep. I have lessons with Sirius and Remus tomorrow, and you have that meeting with Dumbledore after dinner. It's going to be a long day."

Severus grunted his agreement and Harry waved the candle out before both men settled in for the night.

Just as Harry was about to drift off to sleep, he heard Severus whisper, "I like being with you, too." 

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry woke up with a start and sat straight up in their bed. Consciously trying to even out his erratic breathing, he reviewed every detail of the dream he had just had to cement it in his memory.

"You okay?' Severus asked, his voice husky with sleep as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Nightmare?"

Harry shook his head, but did not resist when Severus pulled him into his embrace. "No, not a nightmare. One of those dreams."

Severus paused before speaking, his voice noticeably clearer, "I thought you'd stopped having them since you came to Hogwarts."

"I thought I had, as well," Harry sighed. "This is the first one since the night before I met you."

"Well, obviously something in that dream was important for us to know in this reality," Severus said. "What happened?"

"I- Harry was in a private lesson with Dumbledore," Harry said. "He's been taking them since the beginning of the school year. At first he thought that Dumbledore was finally going to teach him how to fight Voldemort, but…"

"But that Dumbledore is as unrealistic as this one?" Severus guessed.

"Exactly," Harry said. "Instead, the old man began sharing memories of Voldemort's life from a pensieve, teaching him about Tom Riddle's history and motivations. It all seemed very interesting at first, if not very useful. But then the headmaster began gearing their conversations in a particular direction."

Harry stopped, and Severus waited for the younger man to gather his thoughts. "Severus, do you know what a horcrux is?"

"Is that what Dumbledore was getting at?" Severus gasped. "Does Voldemort have a horcrux?"

"Not just one," Harry sighed. "That Dumbledore believes that there were six of them originally, besides the one in Voldemort himself."

"It would explain how he was able to survive after the killing curse rebounded on him," Severus said. "And seven is a very powerful number. But it seems almost impossible that anyone could split their soul so many times and retain any amount of humanity."

"Just how human is he?" Harry asked facetiously. "Voldemort is more monster than human."

"You are right," Severus said quietly. "How- how did Dumbledore plan to deal with this problem?"

"He said that the diary was the first horcrux," Harry said. "In that world it was destroyed."

"But not in this one," Severus replied. "Voldemort reconnected with that part of his soul when he stole Ginny Weasley's life force. So that leaves five for us to deal with before Voldemort can be destroyed."

"That Dumbledore also found a second horcrux and was badly injured when he tried to retrieve it and exorcise the soul from it. His hand shriveled up. He believes that there is also a locket and a cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, as well. However, he wasn't very sure about the fifth and sixth horcrux. He said one could be in Nagini, but if that's true, it could just as easily be in my scar. And he had no clue about the last one."

"Then we have a serious problem," Severus said. "However that Dumbledore reached his conclusions about the Horcruxes, this one has not made that connection. We have no way of finding out what they are or how to destroy them."

"No," Harry sighed. "Even though he told Harry about them, he didn't give the information he would need to do the job himself. It's almost as if Dumbledore wants him to die in the trying."

"We will discover a solution," Severus said and tightened his grasp on his lover. "We will continue on as planned, all the while, searching for the seemingly impossible. Since finding you, I have come to believe that anything is achievable."

Harry did not respond. Instead, he kissed his lover and felt the comfort that only Severus could bring him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine  
><strong>

"Lucius," Severus drawled as he opened the door to admit the man to their rooms. "Prompt as ever, I see."

Just then, Harry entered the room and gave Lucius an encouraging smile. "Good to see you again, Mr. Malfoy. I hope you have taken the time to consider my offer?"

"I have," Lucius said as he accepted the seat to which Severus gestured. "I would like to know more about what would be expected of me if I were to accept."

"Of course you would," Harry said. "Severus, perhaps you could bring us drinks while we chat?"

"Certainly, Harry," Severus smirked at his lover. Harry was really quite adept at playing the benevolent master. It was rather exciting to watch. Severus had always been drawn to power, but Harry was the only master he had ever had that he felt he could truly trust to do what was not only right, but also what was best for him. There was nothing overtly dominant or submissive in their relationship, but it was obvious who the more powerful wizard was, and Severus was content to be safely sheltered under Harry's wing.

"You realize that I will not be able to reveal very much of our plans until I can be sure of your loyalties," Harry said as Severus went to pour three glasses of Scotch.

"No, of course not," Lucius nodded.

"That being said, I will tell you that I would expect certain information from you," Harry told the older wizard as he accepted the tumbler of amber liquid from his lover. He took a sip and fought to contain the shudder at the taste. He really hated Scotch, but Severus didn't have any vodka. "You would not be able to bear my mark, but I would expect complete loyalty from you."

"An Unbreakable Vow?" Lucius guessed and took a long drink from his own glass.

"Mmm," Harry agreed. "We are in a good position to know of Dumbledore's machinations, but Voldemort…Well, I felt it was necessary to remove my only source of information, as you know. It would not have been acceptable for Severus to die because he would not fulfill Voldemort's wishes."

"I understand," Lucius said. "May I ask, does Dumbledore hold you in his confidence?"

"He does not fully trust me," Harry smirked. "He is frightened of my power, fearful that it could tempt me to simply take what is not offered. Nevertheless, I am still the one he believes holds the key to defeating Voldemort. He will not shut me out completely."

Lucius had suspected that Harry was powerful; the very fact that he was able to remove Severus' Dark Mark testified to his power. However, to hear that Dumbledore was frightened of this boy… Lucius looked to Severus and saw the truth of Harry's claim.

"And you only seek peace for our world?" Lucius asked warily. It seemed incredible that one with such power could be that pure in his intentions. He was very Slytherin in some ways, but not so much as to disregard the wellbeing of others, it seemed. Unlike himself. If Lucius had the power this boy held within him, he would be fighting to rule the world. It is a good thing that I do not, he thought.

"I seek peace," Harry confirmed. "I do not fool myself into believing that we can accomplish total peace and equality. It is human nature to quarrel. But we can end this war and remove the war-mongers from our midst."

"I will make the Vow with you," Lucius said. "I will do what it takes to secure my son's happiness in life."

"Do you mean that?" Harry asked. "Is Draco's happiness really that important to you?"

"Of course," Lucius said.

"Then break the marriage contract with Pansy Parkinson," Harry told him. "That is not an order, but a suggestion. They are friends, but they are both miserable with the idea of spending the rest of their lives tied to each other. I'm sure you can come up with a feasible rationale for the move."

Lucius did not say he would do it, but he did look thoughtful.

"I will perform the ritual," Severus said and pulled out his wand. 

**HPHPHPHP**

On his next visit to Sirius and Remus' cottage, Harry was surprised to find several people already present. He looked around at the expectant faces, and smiled. Remus had obviously been working hard to encourage Order members to see their way of thinking. Harry knew all of the faces, but waited for introductions to be made.

Harry was not surprised to see Moody, he had always walked a fine line and often balked at Dumbledore's insistence that they hold firmly to the Light. His interest was in justice. Tonks and Shacklebolt were not much of a surprise either. They both tended to follow Moody's lead. What was a surprise was to see several familiar redheads among the group. Three in fact. Fred, George and Bill had all come.

"I take it that Remus has discussed a bit about my intentions with each of you individually," Harry said, addressing the room. "I want to assure you that I am not in any way out to harm or damage Professor Dumbledore, or the Order of the Phoenix. I respect what he has tried to accomplish.

"However, I do not believe that he is being realistic in the methods he has allowed the Order to use in combat with Voldemort up to this point," Harry continued. "Each one of us is born with both Light and Dark magic within us. It is not Darkness that we must fear, but imbalance. This war is nothing but a battle to gain superiority by each faction. I propose a return to balance, and thus peace."

There were several nods of approval, though most faces were still wary.

"How many of you are familiar with Eastern magic?" Harry asked, not really expecting a reply. "In China, all people, Muggle and wizard alike, believe in the necessity of balance. The yin and yang, darkness and light, are both needed for harmony in the universe. Light and dark do not equal good and evil. Our society is out of balance. Or rather, we are teetering back and forth between two extremes. I wish to even out the scales a bit."

"How do you propose to do that?" Moody asked gruffly.

"By removing the two greatest barriers to harmony," Harry said affably. "Voldemort must die, and Dumbledore must be removed from power. I would not kill Voldemort if I thought there was a way to stop him without such drastic measures. Once Voldemort is dead, I believe that Dumbledore will step down on his own."

"Then why go behind his back now?" Bill wanted to know.

"Because he clings so tightly to his ideals," Harry said. "Those same ideals allowed my parents to die for what they believed was a good cause. Dumbledore has much to answer for when the casualties from this war are totaled. Moreover, I believe he would try to stop me from doing what needs to be done, simply because it does not meet his definition of good. He has already made attempts to stop me from training to defeat Voldemort."

"Harry was to be taught nothing beyond the normal Hogwarts curriculum," Remus put in. "We have overruled that directive."

"Can you defeat him?" Fred and George asked together.

"I can," Harry smiled gravely. "But there are things which must be accomplished first. I need to buy time."

"For?" Again from Bill.

"Well, here is where we must stop for a moment," Harry said. "I can answer that question, but only to those who are willing to swear fealty to me and my cause."

Sirius and Remus rolled up their sleeves and the others all gasped in shock. This smacked of dark magic. This was too similar to what the Death Eaters bore.

Harry laughed. "This is not dark magic! It is simply magic. It is only the intent that determines if a spell is Dark or Light. Avada Kadavra is the most heinous spell there is, according to Wizarding Law. Nevertheless, is it evil if one uses it to defend oneself or his family? This is a fealty mark, very similar to the one Voldemort uses. Unlike his mark, however, this one can only be used to ensure loyalty, locate, and call, not kill. These marks were used for centuries by wizarding armies, lords and servants, any number of ways. It is not the mark that is dark, but the intent. You must all accept that basic idea, or you can have no part of what we are about to do."

Harry gave them all time to think over their decision. The Weasleys huddled to discuss the ramifications. Tonks whispered to Shacklebolt. Surprisingly, only Moody seemed completely at ease with the idea. In the end, however, each one of them agreed.

Changing a mark took a lot more power and energy than simply placing one, so Harry was able to get that chore out of the way quickly.

"So, back to the issue," George said. "Why do you need to buy time?"

"If I kill Voldemort now," Harry said, "he will simply come back again in a few years time. I must first find a way to destroy his soul. In the meantime, I believe that Voldemort will be very interested in my actions. He has already expressed a desire that I join him. Soon, he will see the need to negotiate with me."

"How?"

"I have already begun taking away his servants," Harry smiled. "The first person to receive my mark was Severus Snape. Voldemort's interest has been piqued, to say the least. We will continue to recruit from his followers. I know the idea of working with some of these people will seem odious at first, but I am not asking you to trust them, or like them, or even be nice to them. Remember, our aim is balance. For that, we need to support both sides of the scales." 

**HPHPHPHP**

After the meeting, Harry turned to his two surrogate fathers and said, "I think that went rather well. I was surprised to see the Weasleys here, though. From everything Severus has said about the family, I thought they would all support Dumbledore to the death."

"Since Ginny was killed, some of them have been less than pleased with Dumbledore's leadership," Sirius explained. "I doubt you will ever see Molly or Ron here, but I wouldn't be surprised to find Arthur and Charlie persuaded to join as well."

"What about Percy?" Harry asked.

"Oh, well, he's not really…"

"What?"

Remus answered, "Percy turned to Voldemort two years ago. He really should have been in Slytherin. He's always been more concerned with his ambitions than anything else."

Harry considered that for a moment. "Perhaps he would be a good candidate for recruitment, then. If his main objective is to come out on the winning side, he may be amenable." 

**HPHPHPHP**

"How was your meeting?" Severus asked with a smirk when Harry returned to their quarters that night.

"You knew?" Harry gasped. "You could have told me! I went in there without a clue that I would have to justify myself to a room full of Dumbledore's most trusted."

"But you succeeded, anyway, didn't you?" Severus grinned.

"Of course, but that's not the point!" Harry objected, even as he allowed himself to be pulled into a tight embrace.

"I didn't find out until it was too late to warn you," Severus told him. "I received word while still in class, and by the time I was free, you had already left. So, tell me who was present."

Harry sat down on his lover's lap and recounted every detail of the meeting and his conversation with Remus and Sirius following it. When he was finished, Severus had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Percy Weasley would be a good candidate," Severus finally agreed. "I will contact him tomorrow and see about setting up a meeting. I was thinking about your reasoning, however. Following that logic, there may be several willing candidates here at Hogwarts, as well."

"You mean students?" Harry said warily. "I'm not sure I feel right about involving them in this battle."

"The ones I am thinking of are already involved," Severus said. "They have been involved since birth, just as you have. Not by choice, but by circumstances. If we can offer them protection, they may be willing to give their allegiance."

"Fine, but I won't actively recruit them," Harry said firmly. "If they are involved already, they will know some of what is going on. Let them come to us."

"Agreed," Severus nodded. "It would be safer for them that way, in any case. Some of them will be under close watch by their peers."

They sat in silence for a long time before Harry brought up something that had been bothering him.

"Severus?" Harry asked. "If I am so powerful in this world, why is the other Harry so restricted?"

"I have been considering that question myself," Severus said. "I believe that it is Dumbledore's influence on him. He does not believe himself to be powerful, because Dumbledore has discouraged him from using his powers. But you said yourself that he has shown the occasional sign that that power exists in him."

"Like blowing up his aunt without a wand, or dispelling a horde of Dementors single-handedly."

"Exactly," Severus nodded. "He has the same potential that you do, but he has been discouraged from using it by a man he trusts."

"So I was lucky to grow up outside of Dumbledore's influence," Harry decided. "Even if it meant that my life was not easy. At least I know who I am, and will not allow Dumbledore to control me."

"Yes," Severus sighed. "Now, enough of this talk. Come have a bath with me, and then I intend to have my wicked way with you."

"Promises, promises," Harry grinned, but raced his lover to the bathroom.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten  
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The next several weeks went quickly for Harry and Severus. Between school, training, and recruiting new members for their recently named Brotherhood of Harmony, they barely had any time alone. With finals coming up, and the summer holidays almost upon them, their schedules were overloaded.

Harry had been receiving regular reports from Lucius Malfoy about what Voldemort was planning, but as he hadn't yet acted on anything, Harry left him be. Percy Weasley, along with seven other lower level Death Eaters joined the Brotherhood, and four more recruits from the Order swore their allegiance, but as yet, none of the students Harry and Severus had discussed had approached them.

It wasn't until the week before finals when Draco Malfoy, surrounded as usual by a pack of Slytherins, approached Harry as he was studying out by the lake. Harry greeted the group genially, but eyed them warily. Draco had brought along Pansy, Greg, Vince, and Blaise.

"What can I do for you all?" Harry asked.

"We were hoping to exchange some information for protection," Draco said. When Harry only arched a questioning brow, he went on, "Summer is coming, and we all know that if we go home this year, our parents will force us to take the Dark Mark."

"And how am I supposed to prevent this?" Harry asked.

"We want to take your mark instead." The others all nodded as Harry looked at them in turn.

"What mark would that be?"

"The one you put on Professor Snape," Pansy spoke up. "We've all seen it. You have to be really powerful to be able to replace the Dark Mark. If we swear allegiance to you, will you protect us?"

Harry didn't answer the question. Instead he posed one of his own. "You mentioned an exchange?"

"My father is playing both sides," Draco told him. "He cannot be trusted. His only concern is being alive and in power when the war comes to an end. You can't trust him."

"I don't," Harry smiled. "But you would sell your own father out?"

"Like he doesn't intend to do the same to me?" Draco sneered. "He has pledged my services to the Dark Lord, whether I wish it or not."

Harry looked at the group and nodded. "Very well, follow me. We will need to discuss what will become of you if I am to take you under my wing."

**HPHPHPHP**

When Harry and company entered Severus' office he did not look the least bit surprised to see them. Harry almost snorted at his lover's cunning. He'd agreed not to seek the students out, so he'd found other ways to reach out to them.

"Been showing your body art to all of your students, Severus, or just a chosen few?" Harry drawled. The Slytherin students looked awed at the boy who would openly challenge their Head of House. Taking on Voldemort was one thing, pissing off Snape was another thing altogether.

"Me?" Severus smirked. "Why would I do such a thing? Oh, perhaps they may have seen something accidentally when I was conducting a special tutoring session last week. It certainly wasn't intentional."

"Of course not," Harry said sarcastically.

"Let's not dwell on what may or may not have happened," Severus said with a grin.

"No, we need to figure out what to do with these young people who have come to me for sanctuary," Harry said. "My first instinct is to simply hide them away for the summer to keep them from having to take the Dark Mark."

"Not a bad plan," Severus agreed, though the Slytherins groaned in unison. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Well, sir," Blaise said timidly. "We're all of age, and we were hoping to at least be of use, in some way."

"If you think that hiding is all that will be required of you, you are mistaken," Harry said lightly. "I have several research projects that are rather vital. You would be helping the cause quite a bit by doing so."

Severus gave Harry a questioning look, but said nothing.

"We want to be marked as full members of the Brotherhood of Harmony," Draco told them resolutely.

"As you have pointed out, you are all of age," Harry said. "I will allow you to join. Know this, though: you take your fate into your hands by doing so. Just because we are working towards peace does not mean that there is no danger involved. I will do my best to protect any who choose to serve me, but there are no guarantees."

"And if I find out that one or all of you have betrayed us, you will pay dearly," Severus threatened. The students all gulped, but nodded their acquiescence.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry and Severus were summoned to the Headmaster's office the next day. They were greeted by a grave looking Dumbledore, his usual twinkle conspicuously absent, as was the offer of tea and sweets.

"I have received word that one of my students was seen bearing a very unusual mark upon his left arm," Dumbledore frowned. "It seems this mark consisted of a lightning bolt and the initials HP. Upon questioning, this student refused to say anything about how he received such a mark, claiming it was a tattoo. I suspect, however, that if I looked at Severus' arm I would find an identical mark. Would you care to prove me wrong?"

"Not particularly," Harry shrugged. He wasn't especially bothered by the Headmaster's discovery. He had known that Dumbledore would figure things out eventually. They had simply needed time to establish their plans before the Headmaster could interfere. At this point, they had enough support, and Dumbledore was wary enough of Harry's power, that it really didn't matter what Dumbledore knew. "I think if you look hard enough, you'll find similar marks in some rather unexpected places."

"This has gone on long enough, young man," Dumbledore seethed. "You cannot be allowed to-"

"To what?" Harry interrupted, showing his own anger suddenly. "Kill Voldemort? I thought that was what you wanted, _Sir._What's the matter; am I not playing by the rules of combat you and Voldemort hammered out thirty years ago? You asked me to put an end to this war, and that is what I am going to do."

"You are going to end this war?" Dumbledore raged. "At what cost? Your soul?"

Harry laughed at that. "You worry about my soul, but you allow good people to die for your fucking cause. You allowed a baby to be abused and molested for the greater good. Worry about your own soul, old man!"

"Harry," Severus laid a calming hand on his lover's arm. "This is not going to get us anywhere."

Harry took several deep breaths and noticed Dumbledore doing the same, though he looked quite pale.

"I have obtained information about Voldemort and why he was able to return the last time," Harry said calmly. "I need time to deal with that before I can take Voldemort down."

"So this…mark… is all a scam?"

"No, it's very real," Harry told him. "Unlike your Order, we will do what is necessary to establish peace."

"So you are no better than vigilantes," Dumbledore sighed.

"And what is so wrong with vigilante justice?" Harry asked. "When those in power are unwilling or unable to do what is necessary to protect the people, someone must intervene. You have done so yourself, with your Order. Only you have limited your people too much. They cannot fight fanaticism with kindness. Your people die for your weakness and arrogance. You are just as much to blame for this war as Voldemort. You knew what he was when he was only a teen. You could have stopped this then, but you were too weak to do what needed to be done."

Dumbledore looked distinctly shaken. "So where does that leave us?"

"I will allow you your dignity," Harry said. "I will let you see this war's end, but then I will expect you to willingly step down from public influence of all types. No more whispering in the Minister's ear. If you refuse, I will force the issue. I have no desire to hurt or humiliate you, but I WILL do what is necessary. Do not try to stop me; you won't like the outcome of that battle."

With that said, Harry rose and left the room, Severus following closely behind him.

**HPHPHPHP**

"You were rather harsh with the Headmaster," Severus commented blithely as they curled up together in front of the fire later that evening.

"I was honest," Harry countered. "He has been directly responsible for the deaths of dozens of people, not just my parents."

"What did you mean about his knowing when Voldemort was a teen?"

"You remember those pensieve memories I told you the other Dumbledore shared with Harry in my dreams?" Harry asked. "When Dumbledore went to meet with Riddle the very first time, the woman at the orphanage told him about two children that had died mysteriously while in Riddle's company. He was a murderer before he ever came to Hogwarts, and Dumbledore knew it. He allowed his insanity to grow unchecked.

"When the Chamber was opened fifty years ago, Dumbledore suspected Riddle, but did nothing because he couldn't prove that it was him," Harry said. "A girl died, and he did nothing. He allowed Riddle to continue unchecked. Dumbledore may not have killed all those people directly, but he is culpable. And you, of all people, cannot argue that the man made choices and manipulated people for his own ends. Why did you become a Death Eater if not because you found the only support you could with them? Would it have made a difference if Dumbledore had punished Sirius for his practical joke that almost got you killed?"

"You seem to know an awful lot about that," Severus said quietly.

"I know you," Harry sighed. "I know how your mind works. If you had felt at all respected you would not have turned to Voldemort. I don't know all the specifics, but I don't need to, either."

"Can I just tell you how much that means to me?" Severus said quietly as he buried his face in Harry's unruly hair.

"How about you show me," Harry grinned.

They made love that night. Neither could find the words to express their fledgling emotions, so they used their bodies instead, taking time to savor each inch of skin, every moan of pleasure, every tender kiss shared. And when they finally reached the peak of pleasure, they each came with the other's name on his lips.

**HPHPHPHPHP**

**A/N:** Posting an hour early. Why you ask? Because it's my birthday (yay me!) and I have big plans that do not include sitting behind a computer all day! See you all tomorrow! Jules


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter****Eleven**

"I'm tired of waiting for Voldemort to approach me," Harry said four days into the summer holiday. They had left Hogwarts behind and were staying at Godric's Hollow. The house was in surprisingly good condition, despite the years of abandonment. Harry and Severus simply reinforced the wards and used a few cleaning spells, and the house was rather comfortable.

"What do you suggest we do?" Severus asked, setting aside the Potions journal he had been reading. It was moments like these when he could see why the other Harry had been placed in Gryffindor. He had absolutely no patience.

"I think he needs more incentive to take me seriously," Harry said. "I think its time we hit him where it hurts. Dumbledore called us vigilantes; perhaps we should start to live up to that name."

"Meaning?"

"We hit his inner circle," Harry said. "We give them the option of turning away from their master, but if they refuse…"

"We eliminate the problem," Severus said grimly. He may have been content to wait longer, but the idea of getting rid of a few of his former colleagues was not unappealing. "What about Lucius?"

"We give him one last chance to prove his loyalty," Harry said. "If he fails, he's gone." 

**HPHPHPHP**

The first home they visited belonged to Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange. There was no doubt in anyone's mind about what she would choose, but he was debatable. It was a simple thing for Harry to break through the wards around the property, allowing the four ranking members of the Brotherhood to gain access to the house. Harry cast a localized Somnus on the house; everyone in it would sleep until he lifted the spell. They found the couple already in bed for the night. It was a simple matter of binding them before waking them to decide their own fate.

Harry had a brief moment of uncertainty, but the memory of the dream when Sirius was sent through the veil at the point of Bellatrix's wand firmed his resolve

Within fifteen minutes of their entrance, they were gone once again. The house elves had no memory of falling asleep, and there was no evidence that anyone had ever been in the house beyond those that were supposed to be there.

When the house elves went to wake their master and mistress the next morning, however, they found two cold bodies still lying in bed. There was a suicide note and two vials that once held poison. The Aurors performed a cursory investigation (a half-hearted effort at best—after all, who cared if two Death Eaters were dead?) and found no evidence of foul play. There was only a small paragraph in the Daily Prophet to even mark their passing.

The only one who really felt their loss was Voldemort himself. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"When you asked me to watch out for a bunch of students, you really could have warned me that they would all be Slytherins," Sirius complained a few days later. "And why in the world are we traipsing all over creation researching Tom Riddle's childhood?"

"I have my reasons," Harry said enigmatically. "Have you found anything of value?"

"Not much beyond what you gave us to start with," Sirius sighed. "Pansy wrote up all of our findings. It's in the file I gave you."

"I'll take a look at it later," Harry nodded. "Are we set for our next raid?"

"I've taken a look around the Avery house and it all looks just as Severus described," Remus told him. "We should have no trouble penetrating the security. Have you given the information to Lucius yet?"

"He has everything he needs," Severus smiled grimly. "We shall soon see how loyal he is to our cause."

"If everything is in place, then, we strike tomorrow night," Harry told them. "Get lots of rest. We will need to be prepared to face more than just one Death Eater tomorrow night if Lucius proves traitorous." 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Harry, we don't have time for this." Severus groaned. "We have to meet the others in half an hour."

"Which gives us plenty of time," Harry grinned up at his lover from his position on the floor. "It will help me relax and be alert."

"Feeble excuse, Potter," Severus tried to snarl, but it came out as more of a moan as Harry wrapped his lips around his prick once more. The things that boy could do with his mouth should be illegal. He was pretty sure they were in some parts of the world. "Oh fuck, suck me harder you bloody tease!"

Harry chuckled, sending delicious vibrations over Severus' cock. He couldn't take much more of this.

"Stop…stop!" Severus gasped, pushing Harry away from him. Harry simply looked at him with amusement.

"Something wrong?" Harry smirked.

"Yes, brat!" Severus growled. "Drop your pants and bend over the desk."

"Ooh," Harry grinned. "Are we going to play 'Stern Teacher/Naughty Student' again?"

"I'm going to take a cane to you if you don't bloody well hurry up," Severus succeeded in snarling this time. Harry wasted no more time teasing and got into position. Severus was in a hurry and Harry was rather pleased by that. It took a bit of work for Severus to completely lose control like this, but Harry thought that it was worth the effort.

Severus had lost all patience this time, Harry was happy to note, as Severus performed the most perfunctory preparations yet; barely getting two fingers inside before giving up and plunging his rock hard cock deep into Harry's tight channel.

It was a good thing Severus brewed such a high quality lubricant or Harry might have been too sore to walk, let alone go on a mission after the frantic fucking Severus gave him. Harry grasped the desk, but it did little good; Severus was pounding him so hard that the heavy antique desk was rocking with every thrust. When Severus grasped Harry's cock, he gave it almost punishing strokes. Harry loved it. Moments later, they were both crying out their release.

"Now that was a good fuck," Harry panted as he tried to gather his wits. Severus was still covering him, his body limp with exhaustion.

"Did…did I hurt you?" Severus finally managed to say as he pushed up so he wouldn't crush Harry.

"Merlin, yes. It was brilliant," Harry chuckled. "Now get off of me. We have to get to Sirius and Remus' place or we'll be late. Very irresponsible that would be."

"And whose fault would that be?" Severus grumped, but stood up and pulled his robes straight.

"Mine," Harry shrugged. "But you have to admit, you do feel more relaxed now, don't you?"

"Yes, so much so that I would like nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep" Severus muttered. "I don't know how you can be so hyper after a fuck like that one."

Harry didn't have time to reply before Severus took a handful of floo powder and was gone in a burst of green flames. He laughed and followed his lover. 

**HPHPHPHP**

Avery was easily dispatched. He had no house elves to deal with, and his wards were pitiful. Like the Lestranges, he opted for death. Unlike with the Lestranges, they did not leave immediately following accomplishing their mission. No, this time, they were out to trap a possible traitor. Because of the Unbreakable Vow, Lucius would not be able to directly tell Voldemort of their plans, but he could conveniently show up where he shouldn't be. They had given him all of the rope he would need to hang himself. Now it was simply a matter of waiting to see if he took the bait.

At precisely twelve thirty in the morning, the familiar sound of Apparition could be heard in the entry hall. From the sounds of it, there had to be at least ten Death Eaters. It would not be an easy victory, but Harry was confident that his people could hold their own. They had the element of surprise on their side, as well as the benefit of numbers. This was no small hit party; this time, Harry had brought along half of the Brotherhood.

The fighting started almost immediately. Harry easily defended himself from attack from two masked figures before turning to see Severus struggling with two of his own. He'd just petrified the first when Harry took out the second. Sirius and Remus were doing fine, so Harry went to see how the young Slytherins were fairing. Harry had left them in the dining room with Bill and Charlie Weasley and Mad-Eye Moody.

Upon entering the large room, Harry noticed that their group was struggling. Not because they had started out outnumbered, but because they were in an undefended position and because one of the Slytherins had turned on his friends.

With a wave of his hand, Harry petrified the young Slytherin and the other remaining Death Eaters. He supposed it should have been more difficult to subdue the group, but it really wasn't very hard at all.

Harry went over to the young Slytherin and released him while Bill and Moody helped the ones who had been injured in the fight.

"I told you it was not a good idea to betray me," Harry said gravely. "You are lucky that I'm in a forgiving mood, considering how well tonight's battle went. Otherwise I would allow Severus to get his hands on you. I'm sure you can imagine just how brutal he can be when he's pissed off."

The young man glared defiantly at Harry, but said nothing.

"You will not be given a choice about your punishment," Harry said coolly. "You do not deserve it for your betrayal."

Harry knelt down beside the prone boy and touched his marked arm. It took a bit of concentration, but Harry reached out with his magic and found the boy's magical core. Slowly but surely, he disconnected the tendrils of magic from the boy, leaving barely enough magic to render the boy a squib. When he was finished, there was no mark on his arm, and Harry stood and looked down at Blaise Zabini with contempt.

"I do not kill unless I have no other choice," Harry told the young man. "You will not be allowed to keep any memories that could compromise our Brotherhood; however, I think you will remember the choice you have made and the consequences of that choice. You will live out your life as a squib, knowing exactly what you have lost. Obliviate."

"Sir?" Pansy Parkinson said timidly. "We- we didn't know that Blaise would…"

"It is alright," Harry told the young Slytherins, all of whom were looking distinctly nervous. "You are not responsible for the choices of others. You now understand the consequences of betraying me. I hope you understand I am a fair man but I will not tolerate duplicity. Now, take the captives into the sitting room with the others. Draco, stay for a minute."

Draco looked decidedly paler than usual. Harry waited until all of the others had left the room, giving one reassuring smile to Severus, before turning to Draco.

"Your father is undoubtedly among those captured," Harry said gently. "This treachery was his undoing. I need to know if you want to be witness to his punishment."

"W-what will happen to him?" Draco asked.

"I may offer him a choice, as I have with all of Voldemort's other followers," Harry told him. "I'm not really sure as yet, but I do have an idea or two prepared."

"I want to be there," Draco said resolutely. "He- he's a bastard, but he is my father."

"Very well." 

**HPHPHPHP**

It was a good thing that the sitting room was rather large, as the group that currently occupied it was rather large as well. There were seven Death Eaters in bonds, as well as fifteen members of the Brotherhood.

"Four of the Death Eaters were able to Apparate away," Sirius reported as the two young men joined the group. Harry went to Severus' side and Draco went to stand beside the other Slytherins. "But I think you will be pleased to see that the leader of this little ambush was caught."

Sure enough, the distinctive silvery blond hair of Lucius Malfoy was evident where his hood had been yanked back.

"Remove their masks," Harry said. "I want to see their faces as they learn their fates."

Of the seven Death Eaters, only Lucius was from within the inner circle, but Harry didn't really worry about that. Voldemort would have lost not only two from that elite group tonight, but also his spy. It would be enough to piss off old Snake Face royally.

"You each are to be given a choice tonight," Harry said to the captives. "Let us hope that you are smarter about this choice than you were when you chose to follow a madman."

This comment brought about a round of chuckles from some of the former Order members. Harry silenced them with a look.

"You have two options," Harry continued. "You may choose life or death. If you choose to live, you will be required to make certain sacrifices to ensure that you will never again prove to be the threat to our world that you have been. Stupidity is a crime in my book. Stupidity combined with the power to cause harm is unacceptable."

"What sacrifices?" one of the younger Death Eaters asked, earning a glare from his colleagues. Harry thought he recognized the face, even if he couldn't remember the name of the boy. He could only be out of Hogwarts for a year or two.

"I'm glad you asked," Harry said genially and leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed. "Your memories will be altered and your magic will be destroyed. You will spend the rest of your days as a squib. The question is, would you rather die than lose your magic? Either way, I will not allow you to return to serve your old master. Consider your choice carefully."

Harry gave them five minutes to consider their choice.

One by one, the Death Eaters made their choice. Three opted to die, and swallowed the vial of poison readily. Two opted to lose their magic. That only left the young one who had spoken up earlier and Lucius.

"Please, sir," the boy was crying quietly. "I- I c-can't…"

"What is your name?" Harry asked, kneeling beside the distraught man.

"Callahan," he said. "Terrance Callahan. I never wanted this. You have to believe me! I had no choice!"

Harry looked up to Severus, who nodded in return. This boy was more than likely a victim, just as Draco might have been without Harry to protect him.

"Will you swear allegiance?" Harry said quietly. "Will you let me replace that Mark with one of my own?"

"Oh, yes!" Terrance said with a look of hopeful excitement on his face. "I- I won't let you down. You'll see! I can-"

Harry put his hand up to stop the boy. "I will take care of you, Terrance. I have a research team that has recently lost one of its members. I think you would fit right in with them."

Terrance nodded solemnly. Minutes later, Terrance was branded a member of the Brotherhood. Throughout the entire exchange, Lucius Malfoy remained silent, as did Draco, whose eyes never left those of his father.

"Such a touching display of mercy," Lucius sneered. "Will you offer me the same option?"

Severus growled and moved to strike his old friend. Harry stopped him, glancing at Draco. Severus seemed to understand and backed off.

"I was going to offer you a choice," Harry told him. "But I don't think a traitor deserves a choice."

"You would kill me in front of my own son?" Lucius asked, glancing from Harry to Draco. Harry could sense the genuine fear in the older man and smirked.

"No," Harry said quietly.

"I would watch you die," Draco spat. "Gladly. You would have turned me over to that monster if Harry hadn't protected me. You KNOW why he wanted me! Give me the vial, Professor, I'll do it myself!"

"No, Draco," Harry said, and touched Draco's shoulder. "No. I will not allow you to do that to yourself. You would be the one hurt by that, not him. No, he deserves to suffer for his sins, don't you think?"

Draco looked at Harry with speculation and noticed a hint of mischief in those eyes.

"What did you have in mind?"

"He will lose everything, Draco, I swear it," Harry vowed. "He will pay for his betrayal not only to the cause, but to his own family. I will see him suffer. Is that acceptable to you?"

Draco smiled, and Lucius shivered in fear.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve  
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"Moody, Kingsley, will you take the squibs to the ministry?" Harry turned away from Draco and Lucius to ask. "Fred and George, I need you to distribute the bodies as we discussed. Make sure they are not discovered all at once, or in the same place. The rest of you need to get to work cleaning this place up. There can be no evidence that we were ever here. Do you understand?"

When the Brotherhood had all left, leaving only Draco, Severus, Lucius and Harry in the dining room, Harry turned back to Lucius. Kneeling beside the bound man, much as he had with Terrance so recently, Harry clasped Lucius' arm and began unweaving his magic.

"What are you doing to me?" Lucius shouted in panic and pain. "No please! Not my magic!"

Severus got tired of the pleading and silenced the man with a wave of his wand. He then pulled out a thick packet of legal documents and handed them to Draco.

"You will need to sign these," Severus told his student.

"What are they?" Draco asked warily as he tore his eyes away from Harry and his father.

"Legal documents that turn all Malfoy assets over to you," Severus smiled grimly. "Your father will be signing them momentarily. Without magic or money, any semblance of power your father had will disappear. Even Voldemort will have no use for him. Unless he wants a plaything since he was deprived of you."

Draco, who had been weakening in his resolve, hardened his heart again at the mention of Voldemort and the plans he'd had for Draco. His father had been willing to give him over to that monster as a concubine, a pet, a sex slave. Draco shivered once and signed the papers in all of the correct places.

**HPHPHPHP**

"You took much longer with Lucius than you did with any of the others," Severus commented back at Godric's Hollow as they were climbing into bed. The sun was just peaking over the horizon.

"I did more to Lucius than remove his magic," Harry smirked.

"What did you do brat?" Severus chuckled.

"Two things," Harry grinned. "First, I connected his mark to his cock. Now, anytime he is around Voldemort, he will have an uncontrollable need to service his master. He will only be able to be aroused by Voldemort, and he can only come when Voldemort does. I thought it fitting that he should take his son's place as concubine."

Severus laughed out loud at this pronouncement. "And the second thing?"

"I looped the connection back to his mark," Harry said. "Every time he reaches orgasm, his mark will burn in a most unpleasant way. He will not be able to resist servicing Voldemort, so he will not be able to avoid the pain."

"Can Voldemort remove the conditions you have set?" Severus asked curiously.

Harry shrugged. "It is his mark, and I did nothing to prevent it, but I doubt Voldemort will change a thing. Lucius has failed him twice in recent days. First he could not deliver Draco, and now he has failed to deliver me. I think Voldemort will look on Lucius' condition as a gift."

Severus nodded thoughtfully. "He always was a sick bastard. But enough talk of that. We should get some rest."

Harry yawned in response, and settled down in his lover's now familiar arms to sleep.

**HPHPHPHP**

"What are we going to do about the Horcruxes?" Severus asked two weeks later. "We have been spending the last month destroying Voldemort's support system, one by one. He will not wait much longer before either coming directly after you or trying to set up a meeting. We need to have something ready before then."

"I have a plan," Harry smiled across the breakfast table at his lover. They had been spending countless hours strengthening Harry's wandless abilities, and his defenses, but as far as Severus knew, little more had been accomplished with the Horcruxes. The research team had run into dead end after dead end in their search for information.

"What is this plan?" Severus scowled. He hated when Harry kept things from him.

"Oh, don't pout, love," Harry laughed. "I wanted to do some research before I brought the subject up. I wanted to make sure it was possible."

Severus continued to sulk as Harry began laying out his idea to him. About five minutes into the explanation, however, he forgot to be upset over his lover's secrecy. If Harry was powerful enough, and Severus suspected he was, the answer would be simple. So simple, in fact, Voldemort would never see it coming.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry turned seventeen, and there was very little fuss made over the day. Harry had never had a proper birthday, so he didn't miss the fanfare, and Severus was not the overly demonstrative type, so didn't think to make a big deal of the occasion. In the end, they spent much of the day in bed, ignoring all responsibilities for a change, and had a simple meal to celebrate.

After dinner, Severus presented Harry with a small box. In it was a pewter pendant in the shape of a lightning bolt. Severus had it charmed to become a Portkey; when activated, it would take Harry to wherever Severus was at that moment. Harry thanked him with a long kiss that had them quickly tumbling back into their recently vacated bed.

**HPHPHPHP**

"I think I've got this whole Animagus thing down," Harry commented over lunch one day. McGonagall had taught him the basics before the end of term and had advised that all Harry would need was a bit more study and to practice to perfect the technique.

"You think?" Severus asked drolly.

"Okay," Harry grinned. "I know. I changed once already and I don't think it will be overly difficult to repeat the procedure."

"Then let me see," Severus said.

Harry stood up from his chair and closed his eyes. There was a slight movement in the air around him, and suddenly Harry was gone. It wasn't the fastest shift Severus had ever seen, but it was successful, a real accomplishment considering Harry had only been working at it for a few months in his spare time, which wasn't much at all. Most wizards took years to see any sort of results. But then again, this was Harry Potter, and the normal rules simply did not apply.

Where seconds ago Harry had been standing, there now stood a very large, very dangerous looking, black panther with a small white smudge in the shape of a lightning bolt over one eye. Severus shored up his courage and did not flinch when the animal stalked closer and snarled. Intellectually, he knew that this was his Harry, but his senses said otherwise. As Harry brushed against his leg, however, he emitted a loud rumbling purr that brought to mind an oversized house cat.

Severus stroked his head and felt the powerful muscles in Harry's neck for a few minutes before he felt Harry shift back again.

"Should we give you a new name?" Severus asked. "As I recall, your father and his friends all had nicknames to fit their animal forms."

"You come up with something and let me know," Harry shrugged, although the thoughtfulness of Severus' suggestion made him feel warm deep down inside. That Severus could bring up his father or any of the Marauders without malice was a huge step for him, and Harry knew it was solely for his benefit. "They had each other, but I have you."

Severus nodded, and decided to think about it before making a suggestion.

**HPHPHPHP**

_**THREE MORE DEATH EATERS FOUND DEAD!**_

_Last __night __the __bodies __of __three __more __Death __Eaters __were __discovered __in __a __small __cottage __in __Coventry. __All __three __stood __trial __after __Y-K-W__'__s __disappearance, __but __were __cleared __of __all __charges. __It __is __now __suspected __that __they __used __both __money __and __influence __to __escape __punishment. __When __their __bodies __were __examined __by __Aurors, __the __tell-tale __Dark __Mark __was __found __on __each __person__'__s __left __forearm._

_Theodore Nott, __James __McGallagher, and __Ian __McLeod __were __found __holding __empty __vials __of __the __same __poison __that __has __been __discovered __in __the __possession __of __each __of __the __dead __Death __Eaters __found __over __the __last __two __months. __The __Ministry __denies __any __knowledge __of __assassination, __and __has __recanted __its __earlier __stance __that __the __deaths __were __unrelated __and __coincidental. __They __have __now __begun __a __full __investigation __into __these __mysterious __deaths._

_Minister __Cornelius __Fudge __has __stated,__ "__If __there __are __those __out __there __who __are __acting __on __their __own __to __assassinate __Death __Eaters, __they __will __be __caught __and __prosecuted __to __the __full __extent __of __the __law. __We __cannot __condone __the __imprudent __acts __of __vigilantes.__"_

_Rumors __have __begun __to __circulate __of __a __renegade __group __who __call __themselves __the __Brotherhood __of __Harmony. __It __is __believed __that __they __may __be __behind __these __deaths. __This __reporter, __for __one, __wishes __them __every __success __if __they __are. __It __is __about __time __that __someone __took __a __stand __and __fought __for __the __safety __of __the __wizarding __world._

_In __a __related __story, __the __Wizengamot __is __now __conducting __an __internal __investigation __into __the __allegations __of __corruption __during __the __first __Death __Eater __trials. __See __page __three __for __details._

"Well, it's nice to know that at least we have the support of some," Harry said as he laid down the paper. Sirius and Remus nodded, but Severus looked pensive. "What is it, Severus?"

"I do not like the way that Fudge reacted to the news," Severus said. "He could be very dangerous for our cause."

"He is another of the War Mongers," Sirius agreed. "His career has been built on the fear and his perceived ability to deal with the threat of Voldemort and his followers."

"You think he will try to stop us in order to prevent peace?" Harry asked sadly.

"I think he will," Remus agreed. "And he has the law on his side in this case. If more information should become public about our organization, Fudge could prove to be a problem."

"Then we will need to remove him from the equation," Harry sighed. "I do not like the idea of influencing politics, but we need to know that our cause is supported. I will deal with Fudge, and if he refuses to cooperate, we will remove him from office. In the meantime, I think you should make contact with this reporter, Remus. It would not hurt to have support in the media."

"Any news on Lucius Malfoy?" Severus asked Remus. He had several werewolf contacts within Voldemort's ranks. The bigot would not allow them to become Death Eaters, they were filthy creatures after all, but he expected their loyalty. Luckily for them, the werewolves were smarter than that.

Remus actually laughed at the question. "Not only has Voldemort taken full advantage of the changes Harry made to Lucius' mark, he has begun making Lucius dress up in women's clothes and wear makeup. It seems the Dark Lord misses Bellatrix quite a bit."

They all had a good laugh at that imagery.

"Have you heard from Voldemort yet?" Sirius asked; the question was one that had been repeated at every meeting the four of them had held all summer.

Harry sighed. "No. I am beginning to think the bastard would rather hide away and let his people keep dying rather than face me. I thought he was an arrogant prick? He should think that he can best me."

"I'm sure he does," Severus smirked. "He will contact us when he believes the odds are in his favor. Perhaps with this new publicity, he will think he has the upper hand. It is not inconceivable that lesser men would be fearful of the publicity. Our cause has been exposed. He may think that we will be scrambling and anxious about being caught."

"In which case, this would be the perfect time to contact me," Harry nodded. "I have no doubt that he is the source of the rumors about our organization. None of the members would risk our wrath by talking to the media. They have all witnessed too much to just go blabbing things to the Daily Prophet."

"We shall need to be patient a while longer," Severus said. "In the meantime, Harry and I must prepare to return to Hogwarts next week. How are the Slytherins in your care faring, Black?"

Sirius groaned. "I am so sick of babysitting! They have begun to go stir crazy now that we aren't traipsing all over the country trying to ferret out information on Tom Riddle's childhood. They are bored, and I am tired of their constant complaints."

"Well, perhaps they may be of further use," Harry mused. "I'm going to send Fred and George to you. Between their excellent pranking skills, your experience, and the Slytherins' cunning, I think you all may be able to do a bit of early sabotage. We will begin to destroy Fudge's reputation. I'll have Arthur Weasley come up with a list of other ministry officials who may pose a threat, as well."

"What are our parameters?" Sirius asked with a genuinely wicked smile on his face.

"You are not to hurt them or do any permanent damage unless they become an active threat to us," Harry said. "The point is to take away their ability to stand in our way, not kill, maim or in any other way injure them. Brainstorm on Fudge, do some research, but do not act until I have had a chance to meet with him."

"You got it!" Sirius chuckled.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry sent an owl to Cornelius Fudge that afternoon. The next day, he received two invitations to meet. One from Fudge, the other from Voldemort.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen  
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Harry put away the runic stones into the velvet bag he used to store them. He had bought the stones from a Muggle market stall. The man who ran the stall didn't seem to know what he had, only that they seemed special. Harry recognized the stones right away from his dreams of Divination class and had paid five pounds for the set. It was a bargain, despite his dire circumstances at the time. These stones were very powerful and had obviously belonged to a powerful seer before Harry bought them. He'd very rarely had an inaccurate prediction from them.

The reading that day made Harry frown. He'd been seeking answers about his upcoming meetings with both Voldemort and Fudge. Instead, he had found something else entirely, and it wasn't really anything he had expected.

"Finished playing with your toys?" Severus smirked, but Harry didn't respond to the teasing in the way he expected.

"Yeah," Harry sighed and sat heavily on the sofa beside Severus.

"What's the matter?"

"What? Oh, nothing really," Harry said. "I just… That was a very strange reading, that's all."

"Something we should worry about?" Severus asked.

"I don't think so," Harry said, but his tone did not reassure Severus. "No, nothing to worry about. At least as far as Voldemort goes. I got nothing on the meeting, by the way. Maybe I'll try tea leaves later."

"I know you believe in this _stuff_," the way Severus said it, Harry knew he didn't have any respect for the Divinatory Arts. Not that this was a surprise. Severus was a scientist at heart, even if his science was magical. "But you should not allow these readings to cloud your judgment."

"Never have before," Harry smiled at this. "Divination is only a tool. I use it to help guide me, not make decisions for me. Most times, I don't even recognize what the readings mean until I need to understand."

"So tell me about this disturbing reading," Severus said and pulled Harry into his arms.

"It was just an image," Harry sighed. "There was darkness, but it faded into the gray of morning. I saw a silhouette of three figures on a hill. That's all."

"And what do you think this means?"

"Well, the night fading into day seems pretty obvious," Harry smiled. "Voldemort will fall. And the figures were facing the dawn, so obviously they were looking to the future, but I would have expected two figures, not three. With two, I would interpret it to be you and me…but with three, I just don't know."

"As you said, there is nothing you can do to understand the vision until the time is appropriate, so there is no sense fixating on it," Severus advised.

"No, you are right," Harry smiled. "And we have enough to be going on with, what with these meetings. Has Sirius sent in a report on Fudge's activities?"

"He has." Severus smirked. "I'll let you read for yourself. It should prove to be an interesting read."

"That good, huh?" Harry laughed.

"Very shrewd of you to sic the Slytherins on him," Severus smirked. "No one knows how to dig up dirt better than a Slytherin."

"I was counting on that," Harry smiled. "When do we have to return to Hogwarts?"

"We have the meeting with Fudge tomorrow, Voldemort the next day, so we should probably head back on Thursday," Severus sighed. "I really should have been back already. Albus will simply have to deal with the same lesson plans I used last year."

"You mean you usually rewrite the syllabus every year?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Not completely," Severus said. "But Potions are constantly changing, being improved. And some things don't work as well as one would expect and adjustments need to be made. Why?"

"I guess I never realized how much work goes into teaching," Harry shrugged.

"Did I put you off it as a career?"

"Oh, no. It was never really an option. Can't stand the little runts," Harry laughed. "Then again, that doesn't seem to be a prerequisite in your case."

"Watch it, brat, or I'll show you just what I do to unruly students," Severus growled.

"Are you going to give me detention and spank me over your desk?" Harry suggested with a gleam in his eye.

Severus growled again and pushed Harry down on the sofa and covered him with biting kisses.

"That little fantasy can be fulfilled, but it will have to wait until we return to Hogwarts!" 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Harry Potter! A pleasure to meet you at last!" Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge simpered as he escorted Harry and Severus into his office. It was a bit ostentatious for Harry's tastes with oversized, ornately carved furnishings and deep red walls and carpet. Oh well, to each his own. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Harry didn't miss the suspicious and spiteful look Fudge threw in Severus' direction. Apparently, Fudge did not know the way of things.

"I have come to discuss the issue of these so called vigilantes," Harry said imperiously. It paid to speak a language Fudge would understand.

"Most regrettable, that," Fudge sighed and shook his head sadly. "What is our world coming to when vigilantes can terrorize good decent folk?"

"I see we have entirely opposing views on this issue," Harry said regretfully, but Fudge couldn't miss the steel in his gaze. "I want you to leave them be."

"Now see here!" Fudge ranted. "I don't know what sort of influence this Death Eater holds over you, but I will not allow you to come in here and dictate how this ministry operates! I don't care what you did as a baby!"

"Good, on that we agree," Harry gave a wicked grin. "It is pointless to dwell on the past when the present is so much more interesting. Wouldn't you agree, Severus?"

"Most definitely, Harry," Severus sneered and tossed a thick file onto the minister's desk.

"What is this?" Fudge said turning a shade of purple that brought back memories of Vernon Dursley on a tear.

"This is a file documenting all of your present, and might I add, rather dubious activities," Harry said coolly. "It would not do for the wizarding world to know just how corrupt and pliable their minister is, would it. They just might take offense to find out that you have been taking bribes from known Death Eaters for years to turn your head regarding their illegal activities. And your wife might find the pictures of you with…who was it, Severus?"

"Delores Umbridge, Colleen Sheltie, and Justin Demit, amongst others,"

"Oh yes, pictures of your various liaisons might help your current wife in her divorce case. She just might decide to take you for every Knut you have. I think the courts might favor her, as well." Harry let that sink in before striking the final blow. "Of course a job and a wife won't matter much if you end up in Azkaban. We have signed affidavits testifying that you have sexually harassed numerous witches and wizards in your employ. We also have documentation of the 467,000 galleons you have skimmed from ministry funds over the years."

Fudge by this time was completely white with fear. "What do you want from me?"

"Just what I said," Harry smirked. "The Brotherhood of Harmony is working for peace. You will not stand in their way, or else this information will begin to leak to the Daily Prophet. We will be in contact in the near future, do try not to piss me off between now and then." 

**HPHPHPHP**

The meeting with Voldemort was scheduled to take place on neutral ground, namely a small clearing in a forest just north of Cotswold. The agreement was that they both come alone, but Harry knew better than to trust Voldemort's word on that, so there was a rather large contingency of members of the Brotherhood scattered in the woods nearby.

Sure enough, when Voldemort, showed himself, he was not alone. He was surrounded by a dozen Death Eaters. Harry just smiled benignly at the Dark Lord. He looked just like he had in the dream Harry had of the Chamber of Secrets, only a few years older. He was young, attractive and charismatic; nothing like the Voldemort in the other world. Suddenly Harry understood how a young Severus could have pledged his life to this man.

"Somehow, I knew that it would be unwise to come to this meeting alone," Harry said as his people began to make their presence known.

Voldemort simply laughed. "I would have been disappointed if you had. You have proven to be much more intelligent in the past."

"I do try," Harry smirked.

"Ah, Severus, my long lost servant," Voldemort smiled coldly a he looked his former Death Eater over. "It appears that serving a new master agrees with you. I have never seen you looking so well." There was a threat to those words, but Harry refused to take the bait.

"And how is my old friend Lucius, these days?" Severus asked. Voldemort scowled.

"Listen, I do not believe we will be able to accomplish anything with all of these people milling about threatening to kill each other. Why don't we agree to send them away? Surely you cannot be afraid to be alone with me?"

"I, fear you?" Voldemort laughed. "You are nothing more than a child playing at being a grown-up. This is not a game."

"No it's not," Harry agreed. "Will you send them away?"

Voldemort waved his hand and his people began to Apparate out. Harry's people followed, and soon there was just Voldemort, Severus and Harry in the clearing. Harry waved a hand and conjured several comfortable chairs and refreshments. When they were all seated, Voldemort turned and appraised Harry.

"I must admit you surprise me. I would have expected outright hatred from you. After all, I did kill your parents."

"Yes you did," Harry agreed. "And by all rights I probably should hate you. Funny thing is, I find hatred to be a waste of time and energy. It will not bring my parents back, nor will it change my awful childhood. So what is the point in whinging about it?"

"Revenge," Voldemort sneered, and Harry was able to catch a glimpse of the angry child Tom Riddle had been so long ago.

"And has revenge made you happy?" Harry asked. "Has the pursuit of power and immortality improved your life so much? Somehow I doubt it."

"You are nothing but a child with a child's idealism," Voldemort said.

"Perhaps," Harry nodded. "But I am a child who holds a great deal of power. The power necessary to fashion the world into the image I have envisioned. I am a child who holds the ear of the three most influential men in our society."

"I assume you count me in that number," Voldemort smiled wickedly.

"Along with Dumbledore and Fudge," Harry nodded. "Though Fudge has always been more of a figurehead than anything else."

"Now that you have our attention, what do you want?"

"I believe you already know the answer to that question," Harry smiled. "I want peace. I want an end to this war."

"Join me, help me achieve my goals, and this war will be over," Voldemort said easily.

"The war would be over, but I doubt there would be peace," Harry pointed out. "No, I don't' think that is an option."

"So you would side with that old fool, Dumbledore? I thought you were smarter than that." Voldemort tisked.

"Dumbledore? Again, the war may end, but peace would not be achieved," Harry said. "No, I have goals of my own, goals that you and Dumbledore seem to care nothing for. So I will do what needs to be done without choosing either of your factions."

"If you will not join me, then what is the point of this little meeting," Voldemort complained.

"The point was to warn you," Harry said. "I have given each of your people two options. I will give you two options as well. Step down and stay out of my way, or pay the price."

"You are very sure of yourself," Voldemort laughed, but the humor did not reach his eyes.

"Yes, I am."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen  
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"Stop playing with that damned crystal and tell us what happened!" Sirius said irritably.

"He said, 'You are very sure of yourself,' and I said 'Yes, I am.'" Harry sighed as he shoved the crystal ball away from himself. He wouldn't be able to see anything right then anyway. There was too much interference.

"And?"

"And then Harry showed him just how sure he is," Severus smirked. He could not contain just how proud he was of Harry in that moment.

"What did you do?" Remus asked, just as impatient as Sirius to know the outcome of the meeting with Voldemort.

"Do? Oh, I just set a little fire," Harry said distractedly, pulling the crystal back towards him. He really wished he could understand the vision he'd seen a few days ago. Who were the three people? Was it a depiction of those in this room? And if so, who was missing? Or was it something else entirely?

Severus snorted. "He set the entire forest ablaze with a wave of his hand. He didn't even bother to use his wand, which Voldemort definitely noticed. Then, just as it seemed like we would be engulfed in the smoke and flames, he conjured a rainstorm and put the whole thing out again. I don't know if Voldemort caught that part, since he Apparated away right about that time."

Harry was once again gazing into the crystal, barely aware of the conversation taking place around him. Perhaps it had something to do with the Horcruxes? But no, that didn't make any sense. They had found a way to deal with those when the time was right.

"What's with him?" Sirius finally asked of Severus when it became obvious that Harry was lost in his own thoughts.

"He had a vision a few days ago while using his runic stones," Severus told them. "He's been a bit obsessed ever since."

Remus frowned, but Sirius just laughed. "Lily used to get that way sometimes. Do you remember Moony?"

"Yes, I remember," Remus said quietly. "I also remember that those were the times when her predictions were the most accurate and the most life altering. What did he see?"

"Night was dawning into morning and three figures stood in shadow facing the first light," Severus said. "He thinks the darkness and light refer to Voldemort's defeat, but the rest…" He just shrugged.

"Let's get back to that meeting," Sirius said eagerly. "Since when can Harry control the elements?"

"The boy can manipulate a wizard's magic, remove it completely if he so chooses, and you are surprised that he can perform elemental magic?" Severus scoffed. "The real question is: What will Voldemort's response be?"

"As if that is a valid question," Sirius shot back. "We all know the arrogant prick will not back down."

Severus and Sirius continued their debate, while Harry continued to stare into the crystal and Remus continued to stare at Harry.

**HPHPHPHP**

The first night of the new school term there was a knock at Severus and Harry's door. Harry answered it and was surprised to see Ron Weasley standing there. He looked pleadingly at Harry, so Harry let him in and gestured for him to take a seat.

"You may speak," Harry said and a flash of magic sparked towards the redhead. He cleared his throat several times and when he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse from disuse.

"She always seemed to know everything," Ron said, as if there hadn't been months between their last conversation and this. "I- I guess I was a bit jealous. I grew up around magic my whole life, and yet she knew more about it than I did. And she was so pretty and I…"

"You regret mistreating her when she was alive, so you made her out to seem awful to make you feel better," Harry supplied.

Ron shrugged. "I guess. It's just, she was so smart, and I thought maybe she should have been able to save Ginny somehow. I know it's irrational, but it's how I felt."

"And now?"

"I don't know," Ron sighed. "I know I shouldn't have said those things about her though. I didn't really mean them. I seem to have a way of saying the first thing that comes into my head. I'm sorry for saying what I did about you, too. My brother Bill has been telling me a little bit about what you are trying to do; working for peace and all that. I'm not sure what to think anymore. I always thought Dumbledore had all the answers, but now…"

"No one has all the answers, Ron," Harry said. "If they say they do, then they are a liar. Dumbledore is a very smart and powerful man, but he is just a man. He makes mistakes like the rest of us. Unfortunately, his mistakes have the effect of getting people killed."

"How does that make him any different from you?"

"It doesn't," Harry sighed. "The difference is only this: I never withhold the truth from someone in order to get them to do what I want them to do. Everyone deserves the right to make those choices for themselves. Your brothers and father have each chosen to fight alongside of me, and I will not lie to you and say that they do not face risks by doing so, but I will never lie to them about the risks they are taking. It is up to them to decide whether the risks are worth the potential gain."

"I'm not sure I follow you," Ron said.

"Take Professor Snape," Harry said. "Did you know that Dumbledore deliberately allowed certain members of Gryffindor house to torment him while he was a student, effectively driving him into Voldemort's service? He then, oh so benevolently, forgave him under the condition that Severus became a spy for him. He took away Severus' right to choose in order to manipulate the outcome he desired. In his place, I would have simply asked Severus outright if he would be willing to serve in such a capacity."

"I guess that makes sense," Ron said. "And Bill said that your goal is peace, that you are working to balance out the swing of power between good and evil?"

"That's right. Good cannot exist without evil, just as light cannot exist without shadow. Day follows night and we are all the more appreciative of it for the time spent without the sun's warmth. Life is made up of opposites in harmony with each other.

"Right now, we have two poles pulling for power and it is tearing our world apart. I seek to reunify that breach. Gryffindor and Slytherin may be opposites, but if one existed without the other, there would be a tangible lack in this school. The Slytherins would not disappear if their house was disbanded, they would rather be placed elsewhere, and the defining characteristics of the other houses would be diluted by the ill-fitting students."

"So you are saying that having Slytherins around actually makes being a Gryffindor better?"

"Or a Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw," Harry nodded. "Only as we learn to accept both the good and bad in ourselves and in others can we find peace for our world."

Ron seemed to ponder this for a time and then looked up and smiled. "In chess, there are white and black pieces. It wouldn't be much of a game if you took away one side."

"No, it wouldn't," Harry grinned.

**HPHPHPHP**

"Was that Mr. Weasley I saw leaving just now?" Severus asked after Ron had gone. He gave Harry an easy kiss in greeting.

"Yes, he wanted to talk."

"And you let him?" Severus said with small smirk.

Harry smiled back. "He seems to have grown up a lot in the last few months. His brother Bill has been spending a lot of time with him, guiding him. I think that's what he really needed, time to listen to a rational voice, and someone to show an interest in him. It can't be easy being the youngest of six brothers."

"If you say so," Severus said, obviously not convinced. "But enough talk of Weasleys. I've been waiting all day to have you to myself."

Severus wrapped his arms around his lover and showed him just how much he was longing for him.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry woke with a start, shooting straight up in bed, his heart still racing. Severus was awakened by his lover's actions and startled by the fear he saw in Harry's eyes. It was not a nameless fear, a generalized fear. This fear was very specific and focused on Severus.

"Harry?" Severus said cautiously, afraid that Harry may still be lost in whatever dream he'd been experiencing, afraid to startle the powerful young wizard. "Harry, are you okay?"

Harry flinched for a second when Severus touched his arm, but seemed to regain himself quickly.

"Y-yes. No. No, I'm not okay," Harry stammered.

"Was it another of those dreams?" Severus whispered and carefully pulled Harry into his arms.

"Yes. I- I…"

"It may help to talk about it," Severus said. He knew that Harry had been having more of those dreams, but he hadn't shared anything since the horcrux incident, almost as if he was afraid to talk about them. Almost as if he was afraid they might come true in this world.

"A while ago, before the summer holidays, I dreamed you killed Dumbledore," Harry finally said. "I- that Harry watched it happen, and then chased you and we- they fought. There was so much hate in your eyes, and so much anger in me…It was awful. Promise me we will never become those people?"

Severus ached with the longing in Harry's voice. "I swear it. I could never hate you. You have my heart for as long as you want it."

Severus could feel some of the tension leave Harry's body. "You have mine as well, you know."

"What happened tonight?" Severus asked, stroking Harry's head soothingly.

"He found Snape and killed him," Harry shuddered. "He finally learned how to channel his power."

Severus felt a cold finger of fear wash over him and had to remind himself that what happened in that world had no bearing on this. After all, Black was still around, right?

"I will never betray you," Severus vowed. "I will never give you cause to hate me. We will both survive this, and then we can find ways together to fritter away the fortune you possess. We can travel the world, or buy a house away from civilization. Just you and me. We will find a way to be together."

"Just you and me," Harry echoed, and for once, he believed it.

**HPHPHPHP**

"I do not know how you have managed to pull off all of the things you have over the summer," Dumbledore said gravely, "but I will admit that you seem to have accomplished more in a few months than I have been able to do in the last several years."

Harry looked at Severus and was barely able to keep a smirk from forming on his lips.

"I have considered your offer, and will accept your terms on one condition," Dumbledore continued. "If there is even a hint that you are using your power for your own gain, I will fight you with the last breath in my body."

"Then we have nothing to worry about," Harry said smugly. "I would never become what Voldemort is. Nor would I become what you are. My only goal in all of this is to create a world where I can live in peace. I do not want power or glory. I do not want to hold others' lives in my hands. I have done what has been necessary. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You have known me for many years, Albus," Severus said quietly. "You should know me well enough by now to understand that I would not give my loyalty lightly. Harry is everything he claims and more. He will do as he has promised."

"And what of your progress against Voldemort?"

"He is still considering my terms," Harry said. "I do not expect that he will accept them as willingly as you have. I have no doubt that there will be bloodshed before all is said and done, but I know how to defeat him. I have the power and the will to do what is necessary. I will give him the courtesy of time to decide his fate, but I will not allow him to continue terrorizing innocent people."

"He will not be idle during this time," Dumbledore said. "He will take every advantage he can to build an army against you."

"He is having a rather difficult time right now recruiting new members," Severus smirked. "It seems that even dark wizards have begun to see the way the wind blows. Those already in his service have begun turning themselves in left and right to avoid their fate. It seems many of them believe that a term in Azkaban is preferable to death or life without magic."

"I had heard rumors to that effect," Dumbledore stated. "It is amazing how motivating fear can be."

"Fear has always been Voldemort's greatest weapon. It is only right that it should be used against him now." Harry said.

"Right or wrong, the path you have chosen seems to be working," Dumbledore sighed. "Only time can show us the cost."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, just three chapters to go. Things are really heating up now!

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and to say a special thanks for all the great birthday wishes. I took a four day weekend and had a great time. Jules


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter****Fifteen**

Harry had the vision again. He was dreaming of that other world, that other Harry, when the vision interrupted. Harry was facing Voldemort, taunting him about his Horcruxes. It appeared the other Harry had finally found them all and destroyed them. They were about to cast the killing curse at each other when Harry felt himself being swept away from the dream.

He was back at that hill, just seconds before sunrise. The air was thick with anticipation, and the three figures still stood in silhouette. Harry wanted to get closer, to see their faces, but he was unable to move. From the distance, he could just make out their figures and he suddenly knew who was there. He knew who was waiting with such expectancy for the dawn of a new day.

"The time is approaching quickly," one of the figures called out to him in a voice he did not know and yet recognized at once. "You must act. You must do this for us."

"I will," Harry vowed. "I will do this for you." 

**HPHPHPHP**

When Harry woke, he felt a new sense of calm steal over him. He knew what he needed to do and he knew how to do it. The time for waiting was over.

Severus stirred from his sleep and Harry held him close.

"What is the matter?" Severus asked.

"Nothing," Harry smiled tenderly. "Nothing at all. Go back to sleep." 

**HPHPHPHP**

"Remus, can you get that reporter to put a message in tomorrow's paper?" Harry asked at their weekly meeting later that day. "It is time I had another meeting with Voldemort."

All three older men looked at him quizzically.

"I'm sure he can," Remus said. "Just tell me what you need it to say."

Harry had already written out exactly what he wanted the message to say while Severus was still sleeping. He handed the parchment to Remus.

"We will need to perform the summoning spell before he arrives, so Severus and I will be quite busy. I'll need you two to take charge of the Brotherhood. Voldemort will not come peaceably this time. There will be no civilized negotiations. We will need every person who is willing and able to fight to be ready to do just that."

"Are you sure-?" Sirius asked quietly.

"I am," Harry told them all. "The time is right, and there is no reason to wait any longer." 

**HPHPHPHP**

"You had another vision," Severus said once the others had gone.

Harry nodded, but did not bother to explain further.

"Then we will make this happen," Severus said bravely. "I will not allow anything to happen to you."

"Nor, I you," Harry smiled at his lover. "Do not fret, love. We are both destined to see the end of this war."

"How can you be so sure?" Severus asked as he pulled Harry into his arms.

"Because if we were not, I would have never been sent on this alternate course," Harry said. "I thought that somehow Destiny had screwed up when I ran away to live on the streets. Now I see that she was instead trying to right the mistakes made in that other world. In that world, I killed you. In that world, I died killing Voldemort. Neither of us ever knew the love we were meant to know. Neither of us found comfort in each other's arms."

Harry tilted his head up and looked deep into his lover's eyes. "We were fated to be together, you and I. Only together could we have the strength to change our world. So we will live. You can count on that."

Harry turned his face up to kiss Severus, needing to share this certainty with the man who held his heart and was bound to his soul through any reality.

Severus met his lips and gave into the passion and conviction that was driving Harry. Only with Harry in his arms did the world make sense. Only with Harry could the cold damp dungeons of Hogwarts feel like home. Only with Harry was he free to give his heart and soul completely.

"Take me to bed," Harry whispered, and Severus did not have to think about his response. He took Harry's hand in his and led him to their bedroom. Once there, he began to slowly undress his lover, worshiping each inch of skin as it was revealed. His lips and tongue traveled the now familiar paths to ecstasy they had discovered together.

When Harry was naked, Severus gently laid him on the bed and removed his own clothes. This was not a time for fucking. This was more important than a physical release. This was a meeting of hearts, minds and souls. This was a fusion that not even time or space could dissuade. This was Destiny. Their destiny.

Severus joined Harry in the bed and their bodies aligned perfectly. Their passion was gentle, though no less intense for its tenderness. Mouths met, bodies tangled, fingers teased and caressed. When Severus finally took Harry, their bodies joined in the most intimate embrace, their magic connected and they knew that something new had been created in their arms. 

**HPHPHPHP**

The following days were marked with frantic preparations for the meeting with Voldemort. They were also marked with renewed action against the wizarding world from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Their numbers may have been reduced, but their ruthless means of achieving their goals still cut deeply when wielded against the innocent.

Harry let Dumbledore and his Order deal with the aftermath of those attacks. It was what they were good at, cleaning up after Voldemort. Harry concentrated on stopping the madness once and for all.

Severus spent his days working on the potion that they would need to perform the summoning while Harry reviewed strategies with Sirius and Remus. It seemed like their work was never ending as they tried to find the most efficient ways to contain the Death Eaters with the least risk to their own people. Harry had no qualms about taking a life, but he did not like to lose his own people. And since he could not worry about the Brotherhood at the time of the meeting, he needed to know that Sirius and Remus were as prepared as possible for any eventuality.

Their ranks had continued to grow, and they now easily outnumbered the Death Eaters. But their people were not as experienced on the whole, nor were they as ruthless. Sirius would lead six units and Remus five. Each unit was comprised of several more experienced combatants and several novices. It was the best that they could do to protect the neophytes. Harry had been sure to put Ron with Bill. He seemed to work well with his older brother.

Fred and George were heading up a small unit that was going in prior to the meeting and setting up several surprises for the enemy. They had requested the Slytherins for the job, as they had been working well together up to that point. During the fighting, they would be stationed in a secure bunker where they could detonate their traps and spells at the most opportune times.

The plan was that Remus' units would be in place before the set time, allowing Voldemort's troops to gain a false sense of security. After the Death Eaters had committed themselves to the battle, Sirius' units would apparate in to finish them off. The timing was crucial, or Remus' people would be in trouble quickly, but it was a viable plan. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"I know that you are planning a major battle," Dumbledore said to Harry after Severus showed the old wizard into their rooms. "I know you will not ever trust me. I know that you do not share my beliefs. But I would ask that you allow me to help in this endeavor. I would offer not only my own assistance, but that of the Order as well."

"Why now?" Harry asked. "You have been, frankly, disapproving of our efforts so far."

"Because I believe that this could be the end of this war," Dumbledore said. "You were right. I have been more concerned with my personal sense of morality than getting the job done. You have achieved what I could not. I respect you for that. I am too old to change, but I would like to help."

"This has been his war longer than either of us has been alive," Severus said quietly and Harry knew that he would give in, if for no other reason than to make Severus happy.

Harry nodded. "You will need to meet with Remus and Sirius in order to get your men into position. Know this, though: the Brotherhood will always protect its own first and others second." 

**HPHPHPHP**

The day of the meeting dawned clear and bright. It was a perfect October Saturday. The air was crisp and bright. Harry looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts and could scarcely fathom the fact that this day would end in bloodshed. It was Halloween. The anniversary of his parents' deaths. It somehow seemed appropriate.

Harry thought again of the three people from his vision and vowed again to kill Voldemort. For them.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen  
><strong>

The clearing was eerily silent as Harry and Severus made the preparations for the summoning ritual that would recall all the pieces of Voldemort's soul back to one location. Not even the birds that normally inhabited the surrounding woods were willing to break the utter stillness. It was almost as if they understood what turmoil was to come in the hours after sunset in that normally peaceful forest.

What they were preparing to do was a risky maneuver even for a wizard as powerful as Harry. If something went wrong, the best that they could hope for was that Voldemort would arrive along with the pieces of his soul. The worst…well, Harry chose not to dwell on that possibility. After all, he knew that he and Severus were destined to survive this battle. What would be the point of surviving if one or both of them ended up with their soul locked away forever in a crystal?

"Bring me the athame," Severus told Harry, breaking the reverie in which Harry was lost. Harry looked at his lover, bent over a cauldron filled with a viscous green gel, and handed him the jewel encrusted ritual knife. Severus had worked for days perfecting the potion they would need while Harry worked at preparing their assembly of warriors. Remus and Sirius were even then going over last minute instructions with the soldiers that would soon be endangering their lives in the attempt to bring peace to a world that had known only fear and war for too long.

Dumbledore had been true to his word, and their numbers had almost doubled with the addition of the Order of the Phoenix. Moreover, Fudge had finally relented and offered the Aurors as a peace offering. Harry had to laugh when he read the letter that had accompanied the team leader when they arrived at Hogwarts. Fudge had sounded as if he was doing Harry a favor.

Harry watched as Severus stirred in the last ingredients to the potion. He once again was awed by the skill and grace with which his lover worked. Potions may have been a science in many respects, but Severus turned them into high art.

"I shall need your blood," Severus said without looking up from his work. "As it will be you performing the incantation, the magic in your blood will bind the potion together."

Harry nodded and held out his hand. Severus cut a small slice into his palm and let the blood drip slowly into the cauldron. After exactly seven drops fell, Severus pulled Harry's hand away and healed the wound.

"Is it finished?"

"It needs to cool for five minutes," Severus explained. "In that time, perhaps you can tell me why you have been so quiet."

Harry looked off into the woods once more and his eyes lost their focus. "I believe that this will end. I believe we will win. But I cannot see what price we will pay for victory. I cannot predict how many men and women will have to sacrifice their lives for this victory. If there was any way to prevent…"

Severus took Harry into his arms and held him close. "There is no other way. If there were, we would have found it by now. Voldemort will allow no other outcome. This battle must be fought, and we will be victorious. That is what you must remember."

"So many have already given their lives," Harry sighed and breathed in the comforting scent that always clung to Severus. "I will do what needs to be done, just as I know that everyone fighting along side of us will do the same. But in these moments of peace, it is hard not to think of the way this world should be."

Severus said nothing for long minutes, simply lending his strength and comfort to the young man with the potential to change their world.

"We should begin."

"Yes." 

**HPHPHPHP**

The ritual took several hours and during that time Harry was required to concentrate his magic completely on summoning the pieces of Voldemort's soul that had been detached and hidden in the separate horcruxes. Harry began to chant the incantation as the sun set and continued well into the cold October night. The words began to blend into an almost musical rhythm as Harry was lost in the power and ritual of the moment.

At first, Severus watched with trepidation, unsure of Harry's ability to make a spell that had not been created for this purpose work in the manner in which they intended. Not only were there six horcruxes, but they were scattered throughout the British Isles. Harry had control enough, but there was every chance that something could go wrong and the spell would trap any available soul. But as time passed, the air began to warm with an ethereal radiance converging around Harry. Severus was awed by the sheer power and beauty of those moments before the broken pieces of soul began to materialize.

The first horcrux appeared about an hour and a half into the ritual. It was the diary. It hovered in the air above Harry and became enveloped in the glow around him. After the first part arrived, Severus began to relax, become more confident with Harry's ability to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

When each of the six sections were accounted for, Harry changed the chant and the horcruxes moved to hover above the cauldron of potion Severus had prepared. Severus was secure in the knowledge that this portion of the ritual was certain to succeed. He was a perfectionist, after all.

One by one, the horcruxes dropped into the cauldron, and one by one the objects were destroyed in a haze of smoke and fire, the soul within now trapped in the noxious fluid. When the last one had dropped, Harry stood and waved his wand over the cauldron and intoned the final portion of the ritual. When he was finished, they were left with a solid mass of black stone. They had succeeded in trapping Voldemort's soul.

Now all they had to do was destroy it, and destroy Voldemort. 

**HPHPHPHP**

The units under Remus' leadership were the first to know that anything was happening. Death Eaters began apparating into the woods by the dozens, surrounding their troops and creating havoc. For ten minutes, the Brotherhood and those who were helping them seemed likely to falter.

Just as Remus was about to give in and call for help early, Voldemort appeared in the clearing. That was the sign he had been waiting for; Voldemort was now well and truly trapped. Remus sent up the signal. 

**HPHPHPHP**

"You think too highly of your people," Voldemort laughed. He was standing across the clearing from Harry and Severus while the battle raged around them along the edges of the woods. "You have the advantage of placement and numbers and yet my servants still triumph."

"You have a very bad habit of overestimating your own fortune," Harry said quietly. "In the past, that flaw saw you banished to a half life. This time it will see you dead."

A flicker of panic crossed Voldemort's eyes but was quickly squashed by his arrogance. "You do not frighten me, Potter. You may be a powerful child, but you are still a child. I will walk away this night celebrating your death, as I should have done sixteen years ago."

"Do you imagine yourself to be invincible? Immortal?" Harry smiled grimly. "No life is eternal. Severus, the stone, if you please?"

Severus kept a wary eye on his former master as he walked to the center of the clearing. He wouldn't put it past the monster to kill him just for existing. He gently set the black stone on the bed of decaying leaves and stepped quickly away. In the distance, he could hear the loud pops of the Weasley twins' snares being tripped by unsuspecting Death Eaters. He gave a small smile at the thought of their unruly imaginations finally being used productively.

"Watch the stone," Harry commanded in a voice that even Voldemort was unable to resist obeying. Harry waved his wand once and the stone shattered into a thousand pieces. An unearthly wail echoed through the woods, so loud and frightening in its sinister resonance that even the battle around them paused momentarily, disturbed by the sound.

Voldemort looked confused and drained at the same time. "What was that? What have you done?"

"That was your soul," Harry told him. "The pieces you left lying around in horcruxes, to be precise. They are no more. It is over, Tom. Even now, the rest of our people are apparating in to subdue the remnants of your feeble forces and you are trapped in this clearing. You can try, but you cannot leave this place and your people cannot enter."

"What?" Voldemort definitely looked panicked now. He tried to apparate. When that didn't work, he tried to walk out of the circle. There was an invisible barrier holding him inside its perimeter.

"I tried to give you another option, but you refused my generosity," Harry stated. "Now you will pay for your arrogance and iniquity. You have caused our world too much pain and suffering. You must pay for your crimes against nature."

"Crimes?" Voldemort hissed. "And who made you my judge? This is nothing more than petty revenge!"

"Even if it were, do I not have that right?" Harry asked. "Did you not steal my family away from me? Did you not destroy my childhood? But I can assure you, this is not about revenge. This is about justice."

Before Severus could blink, Voldemort had his wand raised and was casting the killing curse. He watched it as if in slow motion. There was nothing he could do to stop the spell. Even if he threw his own body in its path, it would be too late. He stood frozen in place as the green light enveloped his lover.

"Harry!"

But Harry did not fall. Severus was stunned as he watched the green light envelop his lover and circle him ominously before fading into the earth around him. The small plants and grass at his feet died in a ten foot radius around the powerful young wizard, but he stood completely unharmed. Severus wanted to throw up, but his attention was drawn back by Harry's laughter.

"You couldn't kill me as a baby, what makes you think you can kill me now?"

As Harry spoke, the earth began to shift beneath their feet. Severus reached out and clung to a small tree in the hopes of remaining upright. Voldemort was faring no better; he was tilting precariously on unsteady feet, unable to find suitable purchase. There was nothing for him to cling to.

"You have destroyed the balance of good and evil, you have gone against the natural order," Harry said, completely unaffected by the trembling earth, or the gale that had begun to blow. "The earth will not tolerate such an aberrant being."

Lightning and fire joined in the chaos surrounding the once fearsome wizard. When the rain began to fall, Severus noted that Voldemort was shivering; whether in fear or with cold, he could not say for sure.

"Nature is a funny thing," Harry went on in a completely normal voice. "It will allow mutations to flourish only as long as they do not upset the delicate balance on which the planet relies. When a mutation, such as you, disturbs that equilibrium, nature takes its course and destroys the mutation. You cannot survive, Tom, because the earth will not allow it."

"No!" Voldemort shrieked as a blast of lightning lit up the night and struck him through the heart. His body was at once engulfed in flames and the ground opened up beneath him and swallowed the burning flesh whole.

Instantly, the clearing was once again peaceful. Even the battle that had been waging just moments before was now silent. Harry looked at the ground where Voldemort had stood for a long minute before collapsing to his knees. It was finally over.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter****Seventeen**

There were cheers of triumph echoing through the forest, but Harry and Severus didn't hear it. They were both too overwhelmed by what had just occurred to pay any attention to their surroundings. Severus rushed to his lover's side and clutched him tightly.

"It's over," he said as much to assure himself as Harry. "It is finally over."

"Yes, it is," Harry smiled into Severus' chest. "Can we leave now?"

"Of course," Severus said as he helped Harry to his feet. "We'll go back to Hogwarts and-."

"No," Harry said as he shook his head. "No, I want to leave. I want to just go away. Disappear. We have done our duty, and I want to go away now."

"Anything you want," Severus smiled at his young lover. "Anything at all." With that, Harry dropped the wards around the clearing and the two men apparated away into the night.

**HPHPHPHP**

Over the coming weeks, many things in the wizarding world changed. True to his word, Albus Dumbledore stepped down from his position as headmaster of Hogwarts and went into retirement. Cornelius Fudge was voted out of office once the people realized just how incompetent he had been all along, leaving their safety in the hands of others. Both men disappeared into obscurity. They weren't alone; the Daily Prophet printed articles almost daily about the Boy-Who-Defeated-Voldemort and his mysterious disappearance.

Harry and Severus did not disappear completely. No, there were still things they needed to do. For instance, Harry decided that the Brotherhood should continue to monitor the actions of the more radical and fanatical members of society. It wouldn't do to have another Dark Lord rise to replace the last. But Harry stepped down from the daily operations, only stepping in when called upon for help. Instead, he appointed Sirius and Remus to act in his stead. Five years later, Ron Weasley, who had fought alongside his brother Bill, would take up the mantle of leadership when Remus decided he and his mate should retire. For many generations, the Brotherhood was the society that maintained the peace. But in those first weeks following the war Remus and Sirius held the group together and efficiently cleaned up their world after the war.

There were lists of those who died printed in the papers, and Harry and Severus read them all carefully. Amazingly few people were actually killed in the last battle. At least from the victors. The Death Eaters had not fared as well. When Voldemort was swallowed up by the earth, his followers who still bore the Dark Mark were all killed. The magical link between Voldemort and their Dark Marks was their undoing. Those who had decided to follow Harry were spared, as their Marks had been removed.

All of the young Slytherins and the Weasley twins made it through the battle, protected as they were in their secret bunker, but their efforts had made a huge difference in how the battle had gone. Without them, many more would have died. After the war, Fred and George opened a shop in Diagon Alley, backed financially by Draco Malfoy. The front of the shop sold pranks and jokes. The back room was reserved for items more destructive in nature. They were very selective to whom they sold their wares, but they were instrumental in several Brotherhood victories in the years that followed.

All of the Weasleys survived, though Charlie had a permanent limp and Percy lost his hearing, but they were all able to move on with their lives. Everyone seemed to settle into the peaceful life that the end to the war brought about.

**HPHPHPHP**

"It has been six years, Harry," Sirius said as he took a seat on the chaise lounge next to his godson. They were on the veranda, enjoying the afternoon sunshine and the view of the Mediterranean while Remus and Severus were making lunch. "Are you ever going to get around to telling us?"

"Tell you what?" Harry asked lazily, not bothering to open his eyes. He had almost dozed off when Sirius had spoken.

"About the vision!" Sirius huffed.

"What vision?" Harry asked and finally peeked at his godfather. Just then, Remus and Severus joined them, carrying trays of sandwiches and cold beer. "What vision, he asks!"

"It has been driving him crazy since the war," Remus chuckled at his lover's frustration as he sat down and picked up a beer. "The vision you had before the last battle, Harry. Did you ever figure out who the three figures were?"

"Yeah, and what did it mean?" Sirius asked.

Harry smiled at Severus, who had heard the story not long after they had moved to Greece. It had been very hard to share, even with Severus, back then, but time had a way of easing all pain.

"It was my mum and dad," Harry said quietly, staring at his hand which Severus had clasped in his. Remus and Sirius shared a look that contained all the heartache they still felt over the loss of their friends. "Did you know Mum was pregnant again? I would have had a little sister. Rose. They came to me again right before the battle. They told me we would win. And Rose asked me to fight for them. For her."

"Oh gods," Remus cried and buried his face in Sirius' shoulder. Sirius didn't look like he was taking the news much better. Harry saw the pain and grief that his friends were experiencing and tried to comfort them.

"They are in a peaceful place now," Harry smiled. "I'm not sure what the next life holds, but I know they are happy there. And they would want us to be happy, too. We are happy here, right?"

"More so than I ever thought possible," Severus murmured.

Sirius and Remus gave them both watery smiles. "Yes, we're happy. We have each other, we have you two, and we have this incredibly peaceful place to call home," Sirius said. "I think this is the closest to heaven we can get in this life."

Harry agreed.

That night, Harry thought about how far he had come since meeting Severus. He'd known that night on the street that something incredible was going to take place, but he could never have foreseen just how much his life would change.

He didn't regret his time on the streets; he'd learned so much about the world and people that had been invaluable in the war. But he preferred his life now, surrounded by the ones he loved and content just to be.

Harry had never had another vision of that other world after he watched Voldemort and that other Harry face off. He hadn't seen the outcome, but he knew what happened. His other self had expected to die in the conflict, and so he had. But not before completing the task he'd been called to accomplish. It was his destiny in any world to destroy Voldemort, but only in this one was he allowed to find happiness.

Harry drifted off to sleep in Severus' arms, thankful for the simple blessings in his life.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry dreamed again of that hill. The sun was shining brightly overhead. It was a beautiful spring day with wispy clouds decorating a clear blue sky. The wind was soft and cool, and Harry just smiled at the three figures on the hill as they walked toward him.

"I did as you asked," Harry smiled. "I killed Voldemort."

Rose looked up at Harry and laughed.

"You are a very silly man for being such a great wizard," Rose teased her older brother. "I wasn't talking about Voldemort!"

"Then what did you mean?"

"I said, 'do it for us,'" Rose sighed in the way only little sisters can. "I meant live, you dolt! Live for us. Be happy! Love, be loved!"

"Be nice to your brother," Lily admonished. "He has done very well at achieving that goal, even if he didn't understand at the time."

"We are so proud of you, son," James said. "And we love you. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't," Harry promised, tears making his smile a little watery.

"We have to leave now," Lily said.

"Can't you stay for just a bit longer?" Harry asked, but he knew the answer even before he asked the question. They were already losing substance, becoming translucent. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Perhaps," James smiled. "If you need us, we will always be here."

"Thank you," Harry whispered. "I love you all."

"And we love you," Lily replied even as they faded to almost nothing. "Take care of yourself, and Severus."

"Send our love to Sirius and Remus," James called out as his voice became more distant.

"And watch out for my niece!" Rose shouted just before they disappeared completely.

**HPHPHPHP**

Harry sat straight up in bed, tears were still staining his cheeks from the emotions the dream had brought out, but he didn't notice them. A baby? Was that even possible? But a part of him knew it was and that it had already happened. They were going to have a little girl. Harry let the thought settle over him and gave a soft sigh of happiness. He looked down at his lover, still sleeping peacefully and wondered at what his reaction would be to this latest bit of news. Harry ran his hand over his still flat tummy and smiled.

Well, Severus wouldn't believe it until a mediwitch confirmed it, but Harry knew his sister had been right. About more than just the baby. He would live for them, and for himself. He had a life worth living, now that Destiny had turned around for all of them. He would be sure to cherish every moment.

**The****End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, boys and girls, that's the end. We have our happily ever after of sorts. There is no sequel. You'll just have to imagine what a little girl of Harry and Severus' will look like. I hope you enjoyed the read. Thanks for all the great reviews and support! Jules


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